The dust has finally settled on one of the most polarizing seasons in recent D.C. sports history. Honestly, if you blinked, you might have missed the transition from "NFC Championship darlings" to "top-ten draft pick contenders." But the question remains: who is the head coach of the Washington Commanders right now?
Dan Quinn is still the man in charge at Ashburn.
It’s been a wild ride for Quinn. One year he's being hailed as the savior of the franchise, and the next, he's answering brutal questions about why his star quarterback was still on the field during a blowout. Despite a frustrating 5-12 finish in 2025, owner Josh Harris and GM Adam Peters decided to stay the course with Quinn for the upcoming 2026 season. They aren't just running it back, though. This is a total overhaul of the leadership structure underneath him.
The 2025 Meltdown and the "Black Monday" Fallout
Washington entered 2025 with massive expectations. Coming off a 12-5 run in 2024—the team’s best since the early '90s—fans were ready for a Super Bowl push. Then, reality hit. Hard.
The defense, which was supposed to be Quinn's bread and butter, completely fell apart. We’re talking dead last in yards allowed. By November, Quinn had seen enough. He effectively demoted his long-time defensive confidante, Joe Whitt Jr., and took over the play-calling duties himself. It didn't magically fix everything, but it sent a clear message: the status quo wasn't working.
On January 6, 2026, the other shoe dropped. Quinn officially moved on from both Whitt and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. It’s kinda rare to see a coach fire both coordinators and keep his own job, but Peters and Harris clearly believe the "culture" Quinn built in 2024 wasn't a fluke. They’re betting that the 2025 slump was more about injuries and execution than a systemic failure of the head coach.
Who Is Running the Offense Now?
The biggest news out of the Commanders' facility this January isn't just who stayed, but who’s moving up. Quinn promoted David Blough to offensive coordinator. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he was a journeyman NFL quarterback not that long ago.
- David Blough takes over the OC role after serving as the assistant QBs coach.
- D.J. Williams (son of the legendary Doug Williams) was just hired as the new Quarterbacks Coach.
- The goal? Get Jayden Daniels back to his 2024 MVP-level form.
Jayden Daniels is basically the sun that the entire Washington solar system revolves around. His dislocated elbow in Week 9 of the 2025 season was the exact moment the wheels fell off the wagon. Without his dual-threat ability, Kingsbury’s "Spread" offense looked stagnant and predictable. By the end of the year, the Commanders were barely averaging 20 points a game. Blough’s job is to modernize the scheme and, more importantly, keep Daniels upright.
Why Dan Quinn Kept His Job
You’ve gotta wonder how a 5-12 record gets you a vote of confidence. In the NFL, that’s usually a one-way ticket to a "mutual parting of ways." But Quinn has a few things working in his favor that most coaches on the hot seat don't.
First off, the 2024 season earned him an incredible amount of "equity." You don't just forget a 12-win season and a playoff victory over the Lions overnight. Secondly, the relationship between Quinn and GM Adam Peters is reportedly very tight. They are viewed as a "tandem" hire. Firing one often means firing both, and the front office isn't ready to blow up the scouting department just yet.
Also, let’s be real: the injury report was a horror show. Losing Austin Ekeler to a ruptured Achilles and having Daniels sidelined for a huge chunk of the season would tank almost any team. Quinn took accountability for the Week 9 disaster where Daniels stayed in too long, and apparently, that honesty went a long way with the front office.
What’s Next for the Commanders Coaching Staff?
Even though we know Dan Quinn is the head coach of the Washington Commanders, the rest of the building is still a construction zone. As of mid-January 2026, the team is still hunting for a high-profile Defensive Coordinator.
Names like Jim Schwartz (fresh off the Browns' coaching purge) have been floated as potential home-run hires. Quinn needs a heavy hitter on that side of the ball so he can go back to being a "CEO-style" head coach rather than grinding over defensive film 20 hours a day.
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The Commanders are sitting on the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 Draft. Most experts expect them to go heavy on defense—specifically edge rushers—to help Quinn’s unit find its teeth again.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking the Commanders' progress this offseason, here is what actually matters:
- Watch the DC Hire: If Quinn hires a "yes man," be worried. If he hires an established veteran like Schwartz or Jonathan Gannon, it shows he’s serious about fixing the league's worst defense.
- Monitor the Jayden Daniels Rehab: Everything in 2026 depends on that left elbow. If he's not 100% by OTAs, the David Blough experiment will be dead on arrival.
- The "Vibe" Check: Keep an eye on veteran leaders like Bobby Wagner (if he re-signs) and Terry McLaurin. If they are still buying what Quinn is selling, the locker room is safe.
The 2026 season is effectively Dan Quinn’s "prove it" year. He’s got the keys to the facility for now, but in the NFL, the seat never stays cool for long.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep a close eye on the defensive coordinator interviews happening this week. That hire will tell us more about the Commanders' 2026 trajectory than any press conference ever could.