Dan Quinn is feeling the strain just six games into his third season as head coach. The Washington Commanders are giving him more time to turn things around, but the situation could get increasingly murky if the head coach cannot lead his team to victory against the Philadelphia Eagles.
But the players are still fighting for him.
And wide receiver Stefon Diggs went one step further, praising Quinn's work despite the lack of wins to show for it.
Stefon Diggs' rallying cry for Dan Quinn must be backed up by Commanders players
Diggs threw his support behind Quinn, claiming he had "done a great ****ing job" while also stating that it was a player-driven league. The coach is taking the heat for their failings, but the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver believes the Commanders just need to experience that winning feeling again to see things take off.
Now, the former Maryland standout won't say anything else. Diggs is a locker-room guy these days, and he's showing the leadership Washington needs without Terry McLaurin to lean on.
He is also right that the players need to do more, and executing effectively and with more conviction will make a massive difference.
After reaching the conference championship game in Year 1 under Quinn, the Commanders are now in a more familiar position.
They need to learn how to win again.
If the Commanders had gotten over the line against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants this season, they'd be 3-3 at worst. They fell short, and this is a results business.
But they might also be closer than their record suggests.
Commanders need to show up for Dan Quinn or face the fans' wrath
Diggs has been on some good football teams and some not-so-good throughout his career. Things aren't going well for the Commanders, but the wideout still believes they have the talent to get back on track.
If he didn't, Diggs might make things a little more uncomfortable before the 2026 trade deadline.
It's hard to know what would happen if the Commanders cannot beat the Eagles on Sunday Night Football. Philadelphia is on a five-game losing run and is without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. Despite their 1-4-1 record, Quinn's squad is a 5.5-point favorite, so there really is no excuse.
Majority owner Josh Harris will be watching the Commanders' response closely.
If Diggs is stating that the players must step up for Quinn, you can bet it's a common theme in the locker room.
The criticism being directed at the coach is masking their failings, to a certain extent. They should be striving to repay this faith, and getting one over on their division rivals would be a good place to start.
The time for talk is over. It's officially do-or-die for the Commanders, and a loss could have significant ramifications on this team's makeup with the trade deadline on the very near horizon.
Quinn is hoping it won't come to that. Everyone has said the right things, and the staff is confident that the tweaks made over the bye week can have the desired effect.
But for fans, seeing is most definitely believing.
And if they fail, the vitriol might end up going off Quinn and onto the players.
Diggs' comments all but confirmed that.
