Darryl Tapp played 12 seasons in the NFL after an All-American career at Virginia Tech. Now, Tapp is coming home.
Tapp, a Chesapeake, Virginia native, was hired last week as the Washington Commanders’ new defensive line coach under Dan Quinn. Tapp, who grew up rooting for the then-Redskins, played for Washington in 2013 under Mike Shanahan.
Tapp began his coaching career in 2018, one year after his playing career ended, at Central Michigan. He quickly moved up the ranks, going to Vanderbilt in 2019, before returning to his alma mater in 2020 as Virginia Tech’s co-defensive line coach.
However, in 2021, Tapp received the opportunity of a lifetime to head to the 49ers as Kyle Shanahan’s assistant defensive line coach.
As a part of Quinn’s much heralded coaching staff that perfectly blends youth and experience, Tapp is charged with leading Washington’s defensive line room. In doing so, he has the opportunity to coach arguably the NFL’s top defensive tackle duo, Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen.
That opportunity is not lost on Tapp.
“It’s exciting to be around them. I’ve always been an admirer of the game that those guys put on film, like true animals out there,” Tapp said this week on “Grant and Danny” of 106.7 The Fan, courtesy of Lou DiPietro of Audacy.
“We’re going to do our best — me, Dan (Quinn), (defensive coordinator) Joe Whitt, and my assistant (assistant DL coach) Sharrif Floyd — to put those guys in the best position to make plays. Whatever vision of a player that they want to be that’s in their head, we’ll do our very best to help them meet that vision. That’s where our mindset is, and that’s what we’re trying to get accomplished.”
This is not only an opportunity for Tapp but also for Payne, Allen and some of Washington’s young defensive linemen. The 2023 season was a down one for Payne and Allen, but they remain a centerpiece for Washington’s defense, something Quinn has mentioned in more than one of his interviews since landing the job.