Every year, the Associated Press and NFL determine which coaches have outperformed their counterparts enough to earn the prestigious Coach of the Year award. Earlier today, the AP released a list of head coaching and assistant head coaching finalists for this award, and Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn made the list.
The finalists for AP Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year! #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/IdWBbCWF4F
— NFL (@NFL) January 23, 2025
Quinn is in his first season as the Commanders’ head coach, although it’s not his first time in the position. He came to notoriety as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, where he was credited with creating a Cover 3 defense that included the Legion of Boom secondary. After that, he was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and then the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys before landing in Washington.
This year, the Commanders were predicted to win just six games after winning just four in 2023. Expectations were low, and it took fans months to believe that this team was for real after decades of losing seasons. But here we are: The Commanders have won 14 games (two in the postseason) and are headed to the NFC Championship game for the first time in over thirty years.
Quinn is no stranger to the playoffs, having been part of the Seattle and Atlanta teams that went to the Super Bowl, and that experience is what is helping his team get through these playoffs. He should be a shoo-in for this award, but he does have some good company, so we’ll all have to wait and see what the powers that be decide.