Commanders coach Dan Quinn under fire after 27-27 tie with Giants
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The gist
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn's team tied the New York Giants 27-27 after a botched final sequence cost a field-goal try.
Quinn's job security is now in question as Washington sits at 1-3-1.
Background
Dan Quinn is head coach of the Washington Commanders, in the third year of his tenure and known for wearing his hat backward. His first season, 2024, went 12-5 and included an NFC title run in quarterback Jayden Daniels' rookie campaign; the 2025 season was derailed by the quarterback's injury issues, and the team went 2-10 after a 3-2 start. Scrutiny of his job intensified after the tie with the Giants, in which Washington had the ball at the Giants' 24-yard line with 50 seconds left in overtime and no timeouts but did not snap until 12 seconds remained, and Daniels was tackled with nine seconds left.
How it unfolded
- 2024Washington went 12-5 in Dan Quinn's first season as head coach, which began with an NFC title run in Jayden Daniels' rookie campaign.
- 2025The season was derailed amid the quarterback's injury issues; the team went 2-10 after a 3-2 start.
- Oct 11, 2026Washington tied the New York Giants 27-27 in Landover, Maryland, after a botched final sequence prevented a game-winning field goal attempt.
- Oct 12, 2026Quinn addressed his job security after the clock blunder.
- Oct 13, 2026Quinn held a 47 percent share of Kalshi's next NFL coach to be fired market as of Tuesday afternoon, ahead of Nick Sirianni at 17 percent.
- Oct 14, 2026ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Quinn is expected to "get some time to turn things around," though how much runway is uncertain; Quinn knows his reprieve has limits after discussions with majority owner Josh Harris.
- Oct 19, 2026ESPN reported a source familiar with internal leadership conversations said Quinn's job is not in immediate jeopardy and that isn't likely to change during the season. Washington, at 1-3-1, was set to play the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers (5-0) on Monday Night Football in Santa Clara.
- Nov 10, 2026Trade deadline by which general manager Adam Peters has to commit to a direction.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- An ESPN source familiar with internal leadership conversations said Quinn's job is not in immediate jeopardy and isn't likely to change during the season.
- Analysts
- ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Quinn is expected to get some time to turn things around, though how much runway is uncertain.
- Caution
- AtoZ Sports wrote that Quinn is supposed to be a defensive mastermind but the defense has been horrible and is the worst part of the team.
- Party
- Columnist Bob Molinaro wrote the late-game gaffe belongs to Jayden Daniels, who could have avoided it by throwing the ball away.
- Support
- Quinn said it starts with him and that no one is pleased with the outcome, but the team is having honest conversations about what it needs to fix.
Still unverified
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said how much runway Quinn will get after the 1-3-1 start is uncertain. Columnist Bob Molinaro said he is not convinced Daniels knew he was out of timeouts.