FRISCO, Texas — For the second year in a row, Dan Quinn has decided to forgo potential head coaching jobs to stay on as defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
Quinn has interviewed the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts in the past few weeks.
“Unfinished business here in Dallas,” Quinn told ESPN’s Ed Werder. “My full focus is helping the team play championship ball in 2023.”
During his press conference at the end of the season, head coach Mike McCarthy hinted at a possible return by saying, “I feel good about where we are,” but “we’re going to give Dan the right time.”
Shortly after the session ended, McCarthy confirmed Quinn’s decision to stay.
“We are all very excited to have Dan back,” McCarthy said. “I had the opportunity to visit him a little while ago. That’s a big thing for us. It gives us continuity, and certainly what we’ve accomplished over the past two years, builds on that. Honestly, on a personal note, I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”
The Cowboys became the first team to lead the NFL in takeaways in consecutive years since the 1972-1974 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 consecutive season. parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence And Trevon Diggs They were all named to the Pro Bowl.
“I think there’s a combination of reasons,” McCarthy said. “I think it’s the staff. 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 Dan is obviously in a position to selectively, and I’m very excited about the decision.”
Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore interviewed this week the Carolina Panthers, who eventually hired Frank Reich. McCarthy said he still has to have a full meeting with Moore about the crime and the future. The Cowboys finished fourth in points per game and 11th in yards in 2022, despite the lack of a quarterback Duck 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 led to questions regarding Moore, who is still under contract.
“I really don’t want to play this game,” McCarthy said. “Kellen Moore, like the rest of the coaches, will be evaluated. Every coach will be evaluated. Evaluation, it takes more than one day.”
On Thursday, McCarthy confirmed that assistant coach Rob Davis, senior assistant defenseman George Edwards, offensive line coach Joe Philbin, linebackers coach Skip Beattie, assistant defensive line coach Leon Lett, and quality control coach Kyle Valero will not return.
“It’s that time of year where you value everything,” McCarthy said. “The longer you do it, it obviously becomes more difficult. There’s a personal element. Obviously, you’re talking about some relationships that I’ve been involved in for a long time. That part is probably the obviously hardest for me.”
McCarthy’s immediate future is not in question. He is under contract through 2024. The Cowboys won 12 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1994-95, and became the first Cowboys coach to lead a team to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since Chan Jili in 1998-99.
Despite the success, the status of McCarthy’s job has been called into question several times over the past two years even if it has not been an issue for owner and general manager Jerry Jones.
McCarthy said, “As far as my relationship with Jerry is concerned, just using his words, we’re in an excellent position.” “The partnership we have, he’s excited about it. He’s told me several times this week that he wants me to train here as long as coach (Tom) Landry (29) does. I said, ‘Well, that’s a long time.'”