Dan Quinn

Daniel Patrick Quinn (born September 11, 1970) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks from 2013 to 2014, serving as the play-caller for the team's Legion of Boom secondary. Under Quinn, Seattle led the league in defense and made two consecutive Super Bowl appearances, winning the franchise's first in Super Bowl XLVIII. This success led to Quinn being named head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, where he served for six seasons. Quinn's most successful season with the Falcons came in 2016 when he led the team to Super Bowl LI, an accomplishment overshadowed by them surrendering the largest lead in Super Bowl history. Atlanta would make the playoffs only one more time under Quinn, leading to his firing early into 2020. Following his time in Atlanta, Dan Quinn would become the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys in 2021. Quinn would completely change the defensive culture in his first year with the team. Dallas quickly went from having one of the worst defenses in the league to having one of the best. As a result, Quinn would go on to be named NFL Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2021 season. Early life and playing career Born in Morristown, New Jersey, Quinn grew up in nearby Morris Township and played high school football at Morristown High School in Morristown, from which he graduated in 1989. Quinn attended Salisbury State University (now Salisbury University), an NCAA Division III school, and played on its football team as a defensive lineman from 1990 to 1993. He was a four-year starter in football and track and field and was named All Mason-Dixon in 1994 for his record-breaking hammer throw (168.8 feet) while also representing Salisbury State in the NCAA track championships that year. Quinn was a two-time football team captain and captained the track and field team in 1994. After the 1993 football season, he was co-awarded the prestigious Bobby Richards award. Quinn was inducted in the Salisbury University athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.