Only a few years removed from reaching the NFC Championship, Dan Quinn has struggled to keep Washington competitive.
In Jayden Daniels’ rookie season, Washington came within a win of the Super Bowl. His sophomore campaign proved much harder as the Commanders missed the playoffs.
Injuries contributed to the Commanders’ falloff. However, the team has a 3-13-1 record over the last 17 games, compared with 17-8 in the first 25.
Would continued failures lead to Quinn’s exit? Here’s a look at two head coaching candidates for the Commanders.
NFL Hot Seat: 2 Potential Replacements for Dan Quinn
Mike Tomlin, Free Agent
Whether Tomlin aims to return to coaching after a TV stint remains unknown. If he were to return, Washington could prove a natural destination.
Tomlin grew up in Virginia and attended college at William & Mary. He also possesses experience working with young quarterbacks to make deep playoff runs.
The former Steelers head coach took Pittsburgh to a Super Bowl appearance in 2008. It came during Ben Roethlisberger’s fourth season in the NFL.
Like Quinn, Tomlin built a lot of his success off strong defensive play and turnovers galore.
He could provide an immediate impact in Washington for a defense that has consistently ranked amongst the worst in the NFL.
In 2024, Quinn’s defense ranked 23rd in defensive DVOA. A year later, the unit dropped to 28th. Through four 2026 games, the unit ranks 23rd.
Nick Caley, Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator
Caley, a member of the Sean McVay coaching tree, has taken the Texans offense to improved levels in his second year.
Albeit in a limited sample size, Houston ranks 13th in offensive DVOA through four weeks. Against Buffalo and Dallas, the Texans offense scored 30+ with Nico Collins available.
Annually, Houston improved from a +15.6% pass offense DVOA rating in 2025 to a +25.4% rating in four ‘26 games. The latter mark includes time without Collins available.
It could lead to improved perception around the league of Caley. He would take over an offense that showed a high offensive ceiling in 2024.
During Daniels’ rookie season, the Commanders ranked ninth in pass offense DVOA and fifth in points per game.
If the LSU product can just stay healthy, he and Caley could restore the Commanders to normal levels.
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