Dan Quinn dallas cowboys

Dallas Cowboys DC Dan Quinn Makes Surprising Decision Amid Head Coach Interviews

This is good news for Cowboys fans. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is sticking around in Dallas.

Cowboys fans bemoaned some of the offensive futility with the team this season. But the Dallas defense, under Quinn, has shown more Doomsday than fragility. Coach Mike McCarthy confirmed Thursday that Quinn is staying for another season. He had interviewed for the NFL head coaching jobs in Denver, Arizona and Indianapolis. The Cardinals and Colts had done two official interviews with Quinn.

McCarthy said: “We’re all extremely excited to have Dan back. This is big for us. “I can’t tell you how thankful I am.”

Under Dan Quinn, the Cowboys defense ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring, allowing an average of 20.1 points a game. The defense ranked 12th in the league in yards allowed (330.2) and eighth in passing (200.9).

Earlier this week, owner Jerry Jones began clearing house among the team’s assistant coaches. Jones opted to not extend the contracts of five assistants, including two with responsibilities on defense. It was unclear if he was expecting for Quinn to leave or stay.

One fired coach was linebackers coach George Edwards, who was on his second stint with the Cowboys. The long-time assistant coach also worked for Dallas under then-defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer from 1998-2001. He rejoined the staff in 2020 when Jones hired McCarthy.

Jones also dismissed former Cowboys defensive lineman Leon Lett. He’d been working on Quinn’s defensive staff as well.

Meanwhile, it’s unclear what Jones and McCarthy will do with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, the one-time Cowboys backup quarterback. Moore interviewed this week for the Carolina Panthers head coach opening. It went to Frank Reich. McCarthy said he’s meeting with Moore, Friday.

Jones didn’t extend the contracts of Skip Peete (running backs) and Joe Philbin (offensive line).