What is taking the Washington Commanders so long to hire their next defensive coordinator?
Well, it’s not simply one answer. There are actually more than a couple of reasons why Dan Quinn has not yet been able to make this important hire.
The updated NFL head coach landscape:
🏈Ravens: Jesse Minter
🏈Giants: John Harbaugh
🏈Falcons: Kevin Stefanski
🏈Dolphins: Jeff Hafley
🏈Titans: Robert Saleh
🏈Bills:
🏈Steelers
🏈Browns
🏈Cardinals
🏈Raiders— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 22, 2026
Competition
First off, there is real competition for the jobs that are still available in the NFL. These men looking for defensive coordinator jobs have more than one choice. In fact, there are several options available. Interviews are being conducted almost daily right now. The Cardinals, Browns, Raiders, Steelers, and Bills are all still interviewing for head coaching jobs. (The Ravens just announced on Thursday evening that they are hiring Jesse Minter as their head coach. All of those teams may also be hiring a new defensive coordinator, depending on the head coach’s choice. Also, for example, with Minter leaving the Chargers, that DC job is now highly valued as well.
Consequently, Why would the top candidates Dan Quinn wants, come to Washington to be a DC, if they can get a head coaching job?
Defensive Personnel
The Commanders defense was in the bottom third all throughout the 2024 season. The 2025 season, Joe Whitt Jr’s second as defensive coordinator, was even worse as the defense was not only in the bottom third, but near or at the bottom most of this year.
In this particular set of circumstances, potential defensive coordinators are looking at the Steelers, Chargers, Packers, etc., and their defensive personnel. Then, when they look at the Commanders’ personnel and performance last season, which jobs do you think they are going to pursue first? Can you blame them?
Dan Quinn’s Job Security
Dan Quinn’s predicament so much reminds me of former Redskins head coach Jay Gruden. Gruden’s offense was flying with Kirk Cousins in the 2016 season, but the defense was a liability. Gruden went on the search to get him a new DC. But he found the going extremely difficult. Gruden was working for Dan Snyder. What was Gruden’s job security? As a result, Gruden had to settle for Greg Manusky. Kirk Cousins, in addition, was offered only a contract far below his market value, and it all blew up for Gruden. Cousins left after the 2017 season, and Gruden found himself without much of a defense, and the team traded his best corner at the time for Alex Smith. Then Smith broke his leg… But it all started with Gruden’s job security being shaky, resulting in the better defensive coordinator candidates avoiding Gruden.
If the defense is bad for a third consecutive season, and defense is Quinn’s expertise, what happens to Quinn? Quinn also just hired an offensive coordinator who has only been coaching two years? Might that also be scaring off some of the candidates? Might they feel safer, more confident, going to another team?
Lastly, with 10 head coaches fired this offseason, all 10 new head coaches are making decisions about their defensive coordinators. It also means ten defensive coordinators will be hired. How many coordinators will choose to go with the new head coach, thinking they can probably get at least three seasons there?
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: 3 reasons there is no defensive coordinator yet