After conceding 44 points to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, the Washington Commanders are switching things up on defense. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn announced Monday that he will take over defensive play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
Quinn opened Monday’s press conference with a statement about the change, saying that it was time to switch things up. The head coach will take over defensive coordinator duties starting in Week 11, as Washington travels to Madrid to play the Miami Dolphins.
“When something’s not working, we shift from the question of why isn’t it working to what do we need to do to get it right. And right now that’ll call for some change,” Quinn said Monday. “I’ll take over the role as the defensive coordinator, and all that entails.
“After watching and reviewing the tape, we felt off,” Quinn added later, when asked why they made the change. “And so I thought, this is the time to add into that and lean in.”
Quinn said that Whitt Jr. and the rest of the defensive staff were on board, and that they were “consumed with getting it right.”
“Joe’s been my right-hand man for years, and (he) took the news like the pro he is,” Quinn said.
The Commanders has lost five straight games, including Sunday’s loss to Detroit. The last four of those losses were by a margin of more than 20 points.
Sunday’s was a particularly brutal look for Washington’s defense though: The Lions scored on every single drive of the game (except the final possession, as they ran out the clock), and racked up 546 offensive yards in front of a Commanders home crowd.
Notably, that Detroit win comes after making a play-calling change as well: Lions head coach Dan Campbell took over offensive duties for the blowout win, leading the team to its second-highest scoring game this season.
Though the choice led Detroit to one of its best wins this year, Campbell insisted that he just wanted to “mix things up” and that offensive coordinator John Morton and his input was still “vital” to their operation.
As for the Commanders, Quinn noted that he and Whitt Jr. have a “great vibe together” given that they’ve done this before: The pair worked together in a similar capacity with the Dallas Cowboys from 2021-2023. During that span, Quinn was the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, while Whitt Jr. was the pass game coordinator and secondary coach; both of them then went to Washington when Quinn was hired as the Commanders’ head coach in 2024.
Moving forward, they will try to recreate that dynamic. Quinn said that Whitt Jr. and the defensive staff will be “involved” with planning and practice throughout the week, but that Whitt Jr. would spend Sunday’s game in the press box.
“I’m fortunate that we’ve been in that battle rhythm together during our time in Dallas, and so we’re gonna try to slip into that spot as quickly as we can,” Quinn said.
