FRISCO, Texas — For the second straight year, Dan Quinn has decided to pass up potential head coaching jobs to remain as the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator.
Quinn has interviewed with the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts in recent weeks.
“Unfinished business here in Dallas. My entire focus is helping the team play the championship game in 2023,” Quinn told ESPN’s Ed Werder.
During his end-of-season press conference, coach Mike McCarthy hinted at a possible return by saying, “I feel good about where we’re at,” but “We’ll give Dan his due time.”
Not long after the session ended, McCarthy confirmed Quinn’s decision to stay.
“We are all extremely excited to have Dan back,” McCarthy said. “I had the opportunity to visit him a short time ago. This is important to us. It gives us continuity, definitely what we’ve accomplished in the last two years, building on that. Frankly, on a personal note, I can’t tell you how grateful I am. am”.
The Cowboys became the first team to lead the NFL in takeaways in back-to-back years since the 1972-74 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cowboys finished tied for fifth in points allowed per game and 12th in yards. micah parsons he is a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year and was named first-team All-Pro for the second straight season. parish priest, By Marcus Lawrence Y Trevon Diggs all were named to the Pro Bowl.
“I think there are a lot of reasons,” McCarthy said. “I think it’s the personnel. I think it’s the players. I think he’s been a head coach, he understands at this point in his life how hard it is to win a Super Bowl. So I think all of those things play into that. I think that Clearly Dan is in a position to be selective and I’m very excited about the decision.”
Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore met this week with the Carolina Panthers, who ultimately hired Frank Reich. McCarthy said he still hasn’t had a full meeting with Moore about the offense and the future. The Cowboys finished fourth in points per game and 11th in yards in 2022, despite being quarterbackless. dak prescott for five games due to a broken thumb.
But the season ended with a 19-12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs that raised questions about Moore, who remains under contract.
“I really don’t want to play this game,” McCarthy said. “Kellen Moore, like the rest of the coaches, will be evaluated. All coaches will be evaluated. The evaluation takes more than a day.”
McCarthy confirmed on Thursday that assistant head coach Rob Davis, senior defensive assistant George Edwards, offensive line coach Joe Philbin, running backs coach Skip Peete, assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett and ball control coach quality Kyle Valero will not return.
“It’s that time of year where you evaluate everything,” McCarthy said. “The longer I do this, it clearly gets more difficult. There’s a personal component. Obviously, you’re talking about some relationships that I’ve been involved in for a long time. That part is probably the hardest for me.”
McCarthy’s immediate future is not in doubt. He is under contract through 2024. The Cowboys won 12 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1994-95, and he became the first Cowboys coach to lead the team to the playoffs in consecutive seasons since Chan Gailey in 1998. -99.
Despite the success, McCarthy’s employment status has been called into question multiple times in the past two years, even if it hasn’t been an issue for owner and general manager Jerry Jones.
“As far as my relationship with Jerry, just to use his words, we’re in a great place,” McCarthy said. “He’s excited about the partnership we have. He told me several times this week that he wants me to train here as long as coach (Tom) Landry (29) did. I said, ‘Okay, it’s a long hour.’ “