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The Washington Commanders are expected to employ Dan Quinn, the current defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, as their next head coach.

According to NFL Network, the Commanders and Quinn reached a deal.

He was the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator for the past three seasons. During the 2023 season, the squad finished fifth in both points and yards allowed. Dallas went 12-5.

The Washington Commanders have hired Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their next head coach, according to several media sources Thursday.

The Cowboys are allegedly interviewing Quinn’s Washington predecessor Ron Rivera for the position of defensive coordinator in Dallas.

This is Quinn’s second head-coaching opportunity. The 53-year-old previously led the Atlanta Falcons from 2015-20, going 43-42 over six seasons and 3-2 in the playoffs. His tenure featured an unforgettable loss in Super Bowl LI, which saw the Falcons lead 28-3 before Tom Brady and the New England Patriots came back for the victory.

With Quinn, the Cowboys boasted one of the best defenses in the NFL. He had an immediate impact in his first year, leading Dallas to improve from 28th in points allowed in 2020 to seventh in 2021. The Cowboys led the league in interceptions during Quinn’s first campaign as well, as then-rookie linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Trevon Diggs posted All-Pro seasons. In the 2022 and 2023 regular seasons under Quinn, the Cowboys were fifth in points allowed.

The New Jersey native will be tasked with revitalizing the Commanders, who finished last in the NFC East division the past two seasons and in third place in 2021. Washington won the NFC East with a 7-9 record in former head coach Ron Rivera’s first season at the helm in 2020.

Rivera’s best year was in 2022, when Washington went 8-8-1. However, after a 4-13 season in 2023 in which the defense was dead last in points and yards allowed and the offense was 24th in yards gained and 25th in points scored, Washington moved on from Rivera.

Quinn has head coaching experience.

He got his first head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. The Falcons were 8-8 in his first year and made it to the Super Bowl in 2016, where the team blew a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots and became the butt of every comeback joke in the sports world.

Quinn was let go after Week 5 of the 2020 season.

He was the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks’ legendary “Legion of Boom” defense that won the Super Bowl during the 2013 season.

Quinn was reported to have interviewed with the Commanders, Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks over the past few weeks.

While he was reportedly slated for a second round with the Titans, it was canceled when they picked Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their guy.

Quinn was then down to second interviews with his new team and the Seahawks, who selected Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald to replace longtime head coach Pete Carroll. Landing the Seahawks gig would’ve represented a homecoming of sorts for Quinn, considering that he served as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2013-14 and the defensive line coach from 2009 to 2010.

The lane apparently opened for Quinn to join the Commanders when Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson informed Washington and the Seahawks that he would be running it back for one more season. Johnson, a top prospect, reportedly alerted the Commanders he was out of the running when Quinn had just finished his second interview with the team.

Quinn will now join Commanders general manager Adam Peters and new team owner Josh Harris in the attempt to usher in a new era for Washington. Rivera never put together a winning record in his four seasons as head coach before he was fired in January.