New Commanders HC Dan Quinn has ties to DMV, strong reputation at all levels of football

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Long before Dan Quinn was pacing NFL sidelines, he was a standout defensive lineman and record breaking hammer-thrower at Salisbury University on Maryland’s eastern shore.

As a recent graduate in 1994, Quinn got his first coaching job. Then-William and Mary head coach Jimmye Laycock hired Quinn as one of his defensive line coaches.

“The way he coached, how much he wanted to learn, his enthusiasm, his interest in being a technician and things like that,” current William & Mary head coach Mike London, who coached the defensive line with Quinn that year, said. “It was interesting to watch him wanting to be really good at it.”

Interestingly, the 1994 William & Mary team has made ripple effects in the NFL decades later. Current Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was a wide receiver on the roster, while current Bills head coach Sean McDermott was a safety.

30 years later, London believes Quinn will bring his drive for success and results to Washington.

“Dan is a tireless worker. He’s a perfectionist. He’s a player’s coach. He’s got a high football IQ. He’s not going to give up on people. He does it through demonstrative performances of the places that he’s been,” London said. “You know you’re gonna get a guy committed to the organization and trying to bring a championship to Washington. Loves the game and I’m quite sure that he’ll do good things for the Commanders.”

After William & Mary, Quinn spent one year in Western Virginia, coaching the defensive line at Virginia Military institute. He coached the defensive line at Hofstra from 1996-99 and became defensive coordinator in 2000. According to former Hofstra offensive lineman Rich Holzer (1997-2001), Quinn also was the team’s head strength coach.

“He was a young coach then and he was always extremely well liked by everybody,” Holzer, who is currently the football head coach at Northern high school in Owings, Maryland, said. “It didn’t matter if you were a defensive lineman or you were the punter. Everyone loves coach Quinn.”

Coaching not too far from his former coach’s new stomping grounds, Holzer is excited to see Quinn take over the Commanders.

“I think you’re getting a high quality person that’s not only a great football coach and a good X’s and O’s guy, but he is just a high quality human being overall,” Holzer said. “If I could send my sons to go play for him I would in a heartbeat. I don’t care where coach Quinn was. He could be at a tiny D-III school in Iowa and he said, ‘Rich I want your kids to come play for me,’ I’d say ‘absolutely we need to go.'”

Before his days as a well known defensive coordinator in Seattle and Dallas and head coach in Atlanta, Quinn spent a decade coaching defensive lines in the NFL with the 49ers, Dolphins, Jets and Seahawks. Quinn developed stars and won at stops along the way.

Former NFL Cornerback and DeMatha and Maryland graduate Josh Wilson, who played for the Ravens (2010) and Washington (2011-13), played for Quinn in Seattle in 2009. He believes Quinn will bring energy and passion to the Commanders.

“He had a lot of energy always, interacting with all the players, knew how to talk to players, was really passionate about us being successful and demanded a lot from you,” Wilson said. “I think he is going to bring that passion and demand to Washington.”

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