'Hottest' NFL Coach Candidate Is Morristown's Dan Quinn: Report

DALLAS — Things didn't go down so smoothly for the Cowboys last weekend. But it could mean a new beginning sooner rather than later for defensive coordinator and Morristown High School alumnus Dan Quinn.

Quinn will interview for head-coaching jobs this week with the Broncos, Vikings, Dolphins and Bears, ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted Sunday night.

In fact, Quinn is the "hottest name in coaching" among candidates to fill the NFL's head-coaching vacancies, reported Sports Illustrated's Mike Fisher. Fisher heard similar acclaim for Quinn from a dozen sources, he says.

The Cowboys had a strong regular season, as they won six of their first seven games and finishing with a 12-5 record. But the 49ers defeated America's Team, 23-17, in Saturday's Wild Card matchup, leaving the Cowboys with plenty of questions about their future.

Quinn joined the franchise before the season, and the revamped defense represented one of the team's bright spots. Dallas finished the year with the NFL's seventh-best scoring defense, a season after surrendering a franchise record for points allowed.

The Morris Township native has emerged as a favorite for the Broncos' head-coaching gig, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The team fired head coach Vic Fangio, who led the team for three years, following a fifth-straight season with more losses than wins.

Quinn wouldn't be new to head coaching. He led the Falcons from 2015-20, finishing with a 43-42 record and a Super Bowl appearance. The Falcons fired Quinn after the team lost their first five games last season.

With the Cowboys, Quinn also led the team for one game after head coach Mike McCarthy tested positive for COVID-19. The Cowboys beat the Saints, 27-17, in the Dec. 2 matchup.

Born in Morristown, Quinn grew up in Morris Township and graduated from Morristown High School in 1989. He became part of the football and track and field teams at Salisbury State University — now Salisbury University — in Maryland.

Quinn has coached football since 1994, with his first stint coming as William & Mary's defensive line coach. His first NFL coaching role came in 2001, when he became the 49ers' defensive quality control coach.

But he ultimately made a name for himself as an assistant during his second stint with the Seahawks. Quinn served as defensive coordinator during the emergence of the team's "Legion of Boom" era, when they won the Super Bowl for the 2013 season.

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This article originally appeared on the Morristown Patch