Cowboys DC Dan Quinn Named 2021 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year

After a tumultuous end to his run as Atlanta Falcons head coach in 2020, Dan Quinn revitalized his reputation as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator. For his efforts, Quinn was named the 2021 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year at the NFL Honors ceremony Thursday.

After taking over a Dallas defense that allowed a franchise-worst 473 points in 2020, Quinn led a swift turnaround. Under his guidance, the Cowboys ranked seventh in scoring defense at 21.1 points per game and led the league with 34 takeaways.

Quinn was one of the most coveted candidates to land a head coaching position this offseason. He had been linked to openings with the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears, among others.

But Quinn eventually reaffirmed his commitment to Dallas and withdrew his name from head coaching searches to return to the Cowboys for the 2022 season.

Dallas will look to improve on a 12-5 record after a season that saw them get eliminated in the NFC Wild Card Round by the San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys return a strong crop of players on defense that includes linebacker Micah Parsons and defensive back Trevon Diggs.