Falcons coach Dan Quinn is only three years removed from a Super Bowl appearance, yet after a 1-3 start in 2019, he’s firmly on the hot seat.
Since taking over the team in 2015, Quinn has gone 37-31 with a 3-2 playoff record. You would think that resume would give Atlanta’s head coach some extra leeway, but things change quickly in the NFL.
Despite making the playoffs in 2017, something has been missing since this team blew a 28-3 lead to the Patriots in Super Bowl 51. The Falcons have gone 18-18 in the regular season since that devastating loss.
In 2018, the team won just seven games and this year, Atlanta is on pace for a 4-12 season if it can’t turn things around.
On Sunday, the Falcons return to Houston — the site of their Super Bowl heartbreak — to take on the 2-2 Texans. With the season and potentially his job on the line, Quinn has been searching for answers.
According to team reporter Kelsey Conway, Quinn asked defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and a few others for feedback as he tries to right the ship.
Some will see this as a negative and say it’s a desperate move by a head coach that’s in over his head. But would you rather Quinn bury his head in the sand and pretend everything is okay?
Many coaches are too stubborn to ever admit their practices may not be the most effective. Quinn’s willingness to ask his players for feedback is a sign that he’s not too thick-headed to change.
Clearly something is wrong with this Falcons team, and whether it works or not, Quinn is doing what smart people do when things aren’t going well: listening.
