Dan Quinn left the Dallas Cowboys to take a head coaching position with the Washington Commanders, so the team is looking for a new defensive coordinator. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has been mentioned as a possible replacement.
Similar to Quinn, Vrabel is a former head coach trying to increase his marketability. There’s no bigger coordinator spotlight for an assistant than the one in Big D. Vrabel and former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley rank among the best possibilities to take Vrabel’s job, according to DallasCowboys.com’s Patrik Walker.
Walker wrote in an article titled “IMPACT: Fallout of Quinn joining Commanders” on February 1, 2024, “That said, names like Brandon Staley, Mike Vrabel, and Ron Rivera would enter the discussion, all of whom were dismissed as head coaches this offseason and who are in dire need of rebuilding their brand— precisely as Quinn was when he and the Falcons divorced under unpleasant circumstances three seasons ago.”
While Vrabel is a three-time Super Bowl champion from his playing days as a New England Patriots linebacker, he is also a former All-Pro and Pro Bowler. His coaching resume is also impressive, having led the Titans to four straight winning seasons prior to the team’s struggles over the last two seasons. One of Vrabel’s crowning achievements was leading Tennessee to the AFC Championship during the 2019 season. Despite his qualifications, Vrabel is not likely to become the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys.
Although Vrabel is overqualified to be the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys, there are no head coaching seats left in the NFL coaching carousel. The former linebacker for the New England Patriots and three-time Super Bowl champion is now the coach of the Titans. In addition, Vrabel was a former Pro Bowler and All-Pro.
His coaching background is as noteworthy; prior to the Titans’ recent problems, he guided the squad to four consecutive winning seasons. One of Vrabel’s greatest achievements was guiding Tennessee to the 2019 AFC Championship.
In addition, Vrabel won Coach of the Year following the 2021 Titans 12-5 campaign. Vrabel’s only drawback is that Dallas might conduct a similar search a year after he accepts a new head coaching position.
“The Cowboys would have their defensive coordinator for 2024 and possibly their head coach for 2025 and beyond, if things don’t work out the following season, if they hire Vrabel,” Who will be the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys? was a February 1 piece written by Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf of The Athletic. Dan Quinn’s replacement has eight alternatives.
Quinn may be replaced internally by one of the other defensive assistants by the Cowboys. Things get a little more tricky because Quinn is anticipated to move to Washington with a number of the Dallas coaches.
According to Mike Fisher of Sports Illustrated, Joe Whitt, the assistant with the Cowboys, was originally thought to be the front-runner to succeed Quinn. Whitt might now work alongside Quinn on the Commander’s staff. With Dallas scheduled to encounter former Washington head coach Ron Rivera, there may be some coach switching in the NFC East.
Fisher stated in a February 1 report headlined “Source: Cowboys Plan Ron Rivera ‘Visit’ to Replace Dan Quinn” that “And as of Thursday morning, there was an idea that could still work, with sources telling CowboysSI.com that Dallas assistant Joe Whitt Jr. is the ‘frontrunner’ to take over for Quinn.”
“However, NFL insiders now inform us that the Cowboys would also like to meet with Ron Rivera, the dismissed head coach of Washington who Quinn is replacing. One insider with a close connection to the agreement explains us best how we might anticipate Whitt’s departure: “Quinn and Whitt are attached at the hip.”
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