FRISCO, Texas – As of Monday afternoon, the Cowboys had yet to officially announce the hiring of a new defensive coordinator.
But there seems to be a clear direction, as signs are pointing towards Dan Quinn becoming the new DC in Dallas.
In fact, multiple reports including the NFL Network, state Quinn and the Cowboys have agreed to terms on a deal.
Quinn not only met with the Cowboys over the weekend in a virtual interview, but then flew in Monday to meet with Mike McCarthy, front office staff and other coaches at The Star in Frisco.
Quinn began the 2020 season as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons before he was fired in October with his team off to a 0-5 start. Fourth-quarter collapses were part of the problem for Quinn's Falcons, including a Week 2 loss to the Cowboys, who rallied from 20 points down to win 40-39.
But Quinn has a history of being a defensive coordinator, leading Seattle's "Legion of Boom" defense in 2013-14. Under Quinn's direction, the defense propelled the Seahawks to a pair of Super Bowl appearances during those two years, including the franchise's first-ever title.
But Quinn isn't the only candidate for the Cowboys' defensive coordinator position, which opened after the team dismissed Mike Nolan after just one year.
The Cowboys were one of the worst defenses in the NFL this past year and set a franchise-record for points allowed, yielding 473 this past season.
Along with Quinn, the Cowboys held virtual interviews with Jason Simmons, the Panthers passing game coordinator/secondary coach and Joe Whitt Jr., who held the same title for the Falcons. Both Simmons and Whitt Jr. have worked with McCarthy for nearly a decade in Green Bay.
The Cowboys also interviewed with veteran coach George Edwards, who spent last season with the Cowboys as a senior defensive assistant. But Edwards has nearly 10 years of experience as a defensive coordinator, mostly in Minnesota under Mike Zimmer.
