Arizona Cardinals to interview Cowboys’ DC Dan Quinn today for head coach vacancy

Prior to the hiring of the Cardinals’ new general manager Monti Ossenfort, owner Michael Bidwill made it clear he was going to “cast the net as far and wide” as he could in his efforts to find their next head coach.

Bidwill already had four interviews or requests for interviews lined up in Saints’ former head coach Sean Payton, 49ers’ defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, Steelers’ linebackers coach Brian Flores, and Cardinals’ current defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

The “net” continues to expand now with Ossenfort on board with more names being added to the list which includes former Colts’ head coach Frank Reich, Broncos’ defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, Lions’ defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, and now Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

According to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, the Cardinals will have a virtual interview with Dan Quinn today.

Quinn has been the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator for the last two seasons (2021-present). He inherited a defense that was ranked 28th in points allowed the year before his arrival. Quinn transformed that defense into a top 10 unit in both of his years in Dallas. He has been credited for the development of Micah Parsons, a two-time First-team All-Pro with 26.5 sacks in his two years in the NFL. He earned the Associated Press Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2021.

Prior to Dallas, Quinn was the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach for six seasons (2015-20) and had a career win-loss record of 43-42. He coached the Falcons to the Super Bowl in 2016 and has three playoff wins in his time at Atlanta.

His coaching career dates all the way back to 1994 when he was a defensive line coach at the college of William & Mary. He coached the same position at the Virginia Military Institute (1995) and Hofstra University (1996-1999) before receiving a promotion at Hofstra as a defensive coordinator (2000).

Set Number: SI700 TK1

Quinn entered the NFL ranks after the San Francisco 49ers hired him as a defensive quality control coach in 2001.

Two seasons later, he was promoted to defensive line coach in San Francisco and stayed there for two years (2003-04). Quinn retained that role on other teams after departing the 49ers which includes the Miami Dolphins (2005-06), New York Jets (2007-08), and the Seattle Seahawks (2009-10).

After two seasons as a defensive coordinator at the University of Florida, he found himself back in the NFL in the state of Washington coaching the Seattle Seahawks into having the No. 1 defense in back-to-back seasons (2013-14). In the process, the Seahawks made two consecutive Super Bowl appearances and won one of them as it was the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy. His success did not go unnoticed as he was hired as the Falcons’ head coach the following offseason.

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