Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was in Northern Virginia on Tuesday for his second interview with the Washington Commanders for their vacant head coaching position.
Shortly afterward, Washington boarded a plane to Detroit to interview Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. While the Commanders were in transit to Detroit, Johnson informed them he was withdrawing from consideration.
On Thursday, the Commanders hired Quinn, 53, who was one of eight interviewed for the position.
As expected, fans initially responded to Quinn’s hiring with skepticism, while everyone else in the NFL praised the hire.
We went to X, formerly Twitter, to see some of the best reactions from Washington fans and around the league.
I see The Dan Quinn Spin Machine is going full bore.
— Alex Parker (@ParkerSports) February 1, 2024
Commanders fans,
You have your new head coach. It's Dan Quinn.
Vibe check, please.
— Scott Abraham (@Scott7news) February 1, 2024
Nobody should waste time differentiating between Rivera and Quinn. You went from defensive LOM to a defensive LOM.
The point that should be made is there is a real owner and GM and a there will be a real front office with a chance to pick the right players and that Quinn – or…
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) February 1, 2024
Dan Quinn clearly was not the #Commanders' No. 1 choice. But that doesn't mean that he can't or won't succeed. The team is loaded with draft capital & salary-cap space, has hired the No. 1 GM candidate this offseason & has new ownership. Ingredients for success remain in place.
— Al Galdi (@AlGaldi) February 1, 2024
Commanders going from Ron Rivera to Dan Quinn. pic.twitter.com/YZBE1RId8T
— Eric Sully (@CommandersRealm) February 1, 2024
I'm fine with it. Let's ride.
— Burgundy Blog (@BurgundyBlog) February 1, 2024
Good things about Dan Quinn hire:
– Players love him
– Weakening the Cowboys
– He’s a great defensive mind
– People like him— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) February 1, 2024
Honestly the fact that fans, myself included, are usually wrong and stupid means this is probably the perfect hire. The guy everyone shit on will be the best coach we’ve had in years lol
— NFL YoungBoy (@AdamTaraschke) February 1, 2024
He’s better than Rivera. Rivera was hired as much (if not more) for his stellar character off-the-field (to try and band-aid all the horrific Dan Snyder/Bruce Allen atrocities in the workplace) as he was to coach football. Quinn is a pure football hire. https://t.co/4w4Ee4qllJ
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) February 1, 2024
Ok, not my original choice, but let's go! The key: who will be the Offensive Coordinator. https://t.co/9nTAmyWXF3
— Disco (@discoque5) February 1, 2024
Quinn it is…
Oh well – let’s try and keep our hopes up guys and gals!
— Mark Tyler(Hogs Haven) (@Tiller56) February 1, 2024
No wonder this clown ass owner owns four teams and hasn’t won a fuckin thing
— Riverboat Quinn (@DanQuinnSucks) February 1, 2024
I know Commanders fans weren’t enthused about this HC search taking longer than expected. But I talked to several sources who said WSH wasn’t 100% sold on Ben Johnson after his initial interview. He was still in the running, but wasn’t the clear-cut favorite.
— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) February 1, 2024
Washington has a coach. Dan Quinn to the @Commanders. Welcome to DC #HTTC
Some of y’all fans can now proceed to b*tch, moan and complain….
I’m just glad the search is over & we can move on 👌🏾✌🏾 #trusttheprocess— ✨Chelly ✨ (@mrsjones1179) February 1, 2024
Okay, who's losing their lunch? 🤮
Me, I'm a bit ambivalent about the hire. I have to trust in Peters knowing what he's doing. Godspeed, Boys, bring home the Chip.🏆🏆🏆🏆 https://t.co/qwgonl8KGU
— SoCal-Commanders! (@socalskins) February 1, 2024
Commanders coaching hire is completely underwhelming.
— David Bovey (@DavidBovey) February 1, 2024
I’m fine with Dan Quinn he’s a good coach and player and coaches love him! He’s going to bring in an excellent staff and have the players ready to go every week. Adam Peters and Dan Quinn are the pair that will lead the Commanders into the future let’s go! #HTTC
— Zac (@DCzWall) February 1, 2024
😡 enough of this trust BS this was NOT a good hire…
— T Living (@TLiv1) February 1, 2024
Keeping the old scouts who were terrible and then hiring Ron 2.0.
Yall can talk yourselves into this one. If I’m wrong, I’ll eat crow.
Very disappointing start to the Peters era. Hope he crushes the draft..
— ec (@dmv_ce) February 1, 2024
Were getting memed man…
— Zim (@Zim489) February 1, 2024
Jon Allen probably will want to stay.
— JukemPNukem (@JukemPNukem) February 1, 2024
He's not the guy we wanted but he's the guy we got. Reality of the situation is is this roster is horrible. Ron Rivera did a major disservice to this franchise. Hoping for the best with Quinn. Maybe he'll hire a great staff with Peters they can turn things around quickly.
— Russell (@RussellDMV) February 1, 2024
Im fine. Like most I probably would have preferred an offensive guy but I never locked in on anyone.
Everyone says hes a great leader. So lets go.
— OG EB Eric Bickel (@EBJunkies) February 1, 2024
the commanders hiring dan quinn pic.twitter.com/12GZWA5eAT
— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) February 1, 2024
Not surprised to see Commanders fans already overreacting to to hire of Dan Quinn.
The man is a winning leader and well respected around the league. He is going to coach with intensity and passion, something we haven’t had in DC for years.
I’m excited about the future #HTTC pic.twitter.com/whv4oVlKSD
— brandon (@Caleb13MVP) February 1, 2024
Not only is Washington getting a good HC in Dan Quinn, you now are weakening a division rival by poaching from the strength of their staff
— Lynnell Willingham (@Nell_BTP) February 1, 2024
Had Dan Quinn taken a HC job last year, he’d have taken Brian Schottenheimer with him as offensive coordinator. More complicated this time around, bc Schottenheimer has the OC title in Dallas now (Would the Cowboys let him out to call plays for a division rival?).
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 1, 2024
Dan Snyder’s last gift to the franchise was giving the fanbase Ron Rivera who probably now scares folks more than anyone..every future decision will be compared to Ron 😂😂😂
— Dre (@DCSportsDre) February 1, 2024
Maybe Quinn is the right hire, I’ve been wrong before. Pardon my lack of optimism though. Just feels like faces change but shit remains the same with this franchise. We’ll see I guess.
— PoeticGenius916 (@CMont916) February 1, 2024
Quinn is not Rivera. I get the side that isn’t excited by this… it’s not a sexy hire. But Adam Peters wanted a leader and that’s what he got. Trust the man.
— Manny Benton (@manny_benton) February 1, 2024
"Your coach blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl" pic.twitter.com/EIuKfIIU4O
— Stew (@icecoldstew) February 1, 2024
Our new head coach.
Welcome to Commanders Nation Dan Quinn. #HTTC pic.twitter.com/ht2v8izhpW
— Chris Bryant (@HogfarmerChris) February 1, 2024
Meanwhile I posted…
— Shelley (@Shellsyeah81) February 1, 2024
Dan Quinn is NOT Ron Rivera. He also, however, wasn’t Washington’s first choice… but I fully expect Washington to build a culture of punching people in the mouth moving forward, allowing the core pieces in place to be the foundation for what’s to come.
Lots to be excited…
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) February 1, 2024
For everyone concerned about Quinn being the next Rivera: Let's all take a deep breath and trust in Adam Peters. Quinn is very connected and will hire a strong staff, something that likely helped his case. #HTTC
— Commanders Wire (@Washington_Wire) February 1, 2024
The funniest thing is Ron Rivera isn’t the worst HC this team had in this century or it’s entire history. He was just painfully mediocre lol. https://t.co/qfE6o6cfOB
— Olafimihan Oshin (@olafimihanoshin) February 1, 2024
This is a great move for them https://t.co/Lh24rxsf2E
— Shawne Merriman (@shawnemerriman) February 1, 2024
Dan Quinn is a really good coach. The comps to Ron are LAZY. Rivera had way too much control, dealt with all the Snyder crap, the name change, COVID and OBTW, cancer. Dan Quinn will just have to coach. Adam Peters will just have to pick players. I love it. #HTTC
— Ron Burgundy & Gold (@RBG_DMC73) February 1, 2024
Retread .500 coaches headed to Ashburn for the Commanders coaching vacancy 🤦🏽♂️ #HTTC #SameOleSkins pic.twitter.com/FvF08SaNgt
— Commanders Squad CLT (@CommandersCLT) February 1, 2024
I trust Dan Quinn. Bill Belichick went 36-44 in Cleveland. We have our Belichick.
— Eric Nathan (@BarstoolNate) February 1, 2024
People act like we would of been SB ready if we hire BJ or anyone else 2024. We have a lot of holes and patience is needed. Qninn might be the correct person for this job as it sits!!! LFG pic.twitter.com/iNkQMlK4td
— Commando G (@ICre8SportsTalk) February 1, 2024
An unimpressed Stephen A. Smith reacts to the breaking news of the Washington Commanders hiring Dan Quinn as their head coach. pic.twitter.com/cRmry3ecmR
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 1, 2024
Dan Quinn if hired would bring in a rockstar coaching staff and has a great rep around the league so he would be able to put the best coaching staff together out of the remaining candidates but Anthony Weaver sounds so impressive and I think he is going to be a good HC.
— Zac (@DCzWall) February 1, 2024
Dan Quinn made transitions and adapted to the new era of offense. A mainstay at the top of every statistic. Something our former coach couldn’t do.
— Steve (@AirRaidConcepts) February 1, 2024
