The clouds over the Washington Commanders‘ defence seem to keep growing denser. Dan Quinn‘s side has gone without a win in over a month, which begs the question: What is going to change? Suffering five straight losses would make any coach look in the mirror and be disappointed with the reflection. So what does an NFL coach do when he is pushed into a corner? He brings a change, which is precisely why Quinn has been forced to make a difficult decision.
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After a season plagued by defensive inconsistencies, Quinn decided to take matters into his own hands. He took over as the interim defensive coach without relieving Joe Whitt Jr. from his responsibilities. However, the move signalled seismic changes that could shake the ranks and see Whitt Jr. out of the picture. The Commanders could be looking at a new DC next season, as echoed by ESPN Commanders’ reporter John Keim on X.
Keim was on the Junkies this morning and made an interesting point…said a healthy Jayden who’s not playing with multiple weeks in the season may not go over well in the locker room.
Also, said there will be a new DC in Washington next season. Quinn doesn’t want to call plays.
— Disco (@discoque90) November 18, 2025
To put it into perspective, the Commanders have allowed 98 points in their last three games against the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, and the Miami Dolphins. A form as poor as this, barely one season after making the playoffs, has everyone questioning the team’s defense. As a result, Joe Whitt Jr., once a trusted compatriot of Quinn at Atlanta and Dallas, might see the exit door.
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The coaching duo of Quinn and Whitt has been together for four years. A tenure that long creates mutual respect and admiration, beyond the field. A subject Whitt touched on in a conversation with The Athletic.
Joe Whitt Jr. remains optimistic about his relationship with Dan Quinn
Whitt’s playcalling privileges were taken away before the loss to the Dolphins. However, the 47-year-old stayed positive after being relieved of his duties and spoke about his relationship with Quinn.
“Our relationship is the same,” Whitt said. “We’re very comfortable with that. The only difference is, he was in the box with me when he called (the defense in Dallas). He’ll be on the field, so that’ll be a little different. We did that one time when we played New Orleans when (then-Cowboys head coach) Mike McCarthy got COVID. So we were in separate places from that standpoint. But other than that, we’re working it very similar to what we did in Dallas.”
Furthermore, he also talked about Quinn’s decision to demote him. His opinion speaks volumes about Quinn’s character, and you’ve got to give credit where it’s due. The 55-year-old did not deflect any blame. Instead, he admitted that the strategy was not working and changed it. The Commanders’ defense then showed improvement in their narrow 16-13 defeat against the Dolphins.
The Commanders will now host the Broncos at Northwest Stadium on December 1. We will see Quinn calling out defensive plays again, but the question remains: for how long?
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Dipayan Moitra