After former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn jumped ship and was hired by the Washington Commanders, they are on the hunt. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is looking for his third defensive coordinator in five seasons. The Cowboys are expected to interview former Commanders head coach, Ron Rivera for their defensive coordinator vacancy. The Dallas Cowboys could hire Ron Rivera as their next defensive coordinator.
Rivera did spend some time interviewing with teams, including the Los Angeles Rams and was linked to the Philadelphia Eagles before they hired Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio. Before the Commanders, Rivera spent nine seasons as the head coach of the Panthers. He hasn’t served as a defensive coordinator since 2010 with the Chargers, so it’ll be a fresh experience with him. If the Cowboys hire Rivera, it would be a literal switch between him and Quinn.
However, there are other top candidates available that the Dallas Cowboys could consider. Mike Vrabel, Brandon Staley, Wink Martindale and Mike Zimmer in search for Quinn’s replacement. Dallas was ready for Quinn to finally walk away from the team as he was looking for a head coaching job. So the team now has options on the table and they are expecting to interview more than one candidate.
The Dallas Cowboys are no stranger to getting frustrated with their coaches. After the embarrassing 48-32 defeat against the Green Bay Packers, Quinn was bound to walk out the door and start fresh.
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: The #Cowboys are interviewing former #Commanders HC Ron Rivera for their DC vacancy next week, per @DavidMooreDMN pic.twitter.com/V3wlsSOR5t
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) February 1, 2024
Dallas Cowboys Could Hire Ron Rivera
How He Could Fit With the Doomsday Defense
The Cowboys were confident enough to let Quinn walk after he was out-coached and his unit was beaten physically and schematically. This could be all turned around once Rivera arrives in Dallas. Despite his struggles, the Commander’s defense was still solid. He took over that role after making the move to fire defensive coordinator, Jack Del Rio.
The Cowboys hiring Rivera would get the advantage once he arrives working with big names like Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence and Trevon Diggs. Anybody who gets to coordinate behind the talented defense that has been constructed over the years will find ultimate success. Rivera has the tools waiting for him while anticipates meeting with the Cowboys next week. He remains a popular candidate for many teams in the league awaiting to fill in their staff.
The Cowboys may act fast so Rivera may be on top of their radar regardless the many options they have. Despite not being a defensive coordinator for a decade, this new role would give him a reset. It was obvious that Rivera was juggling too many tasks in his last year with the Commanders so it was bound to fall apart. He now has legit help from players’ performances on the field.
The Cowboys Could Keep Their Options Open
Other than the available candidates, they could fall back on hiring Cowboys secondary coach Joe Whitt. Whitt has emerged as the lead candidate to fill in the hole for defensive coordinator. The sweepstakes continue to get interesting though, Quinn may bring him in as a suitor for Washington. Dallas may as well act quickly before that happens.
Whitt would be the logical choice since he had a long stint working alongside with McCarthy in Green Bay. They teamed up in 2021 also as the pass game coordinator for Dallas. He worked alongside with Quinn too in Atlanta so it’s a natural decision that may get tricky. The question is if they will go with their gut with Rivera and let Whitt go with Quinn.
That question will be answered soon, as the Cowboys are expected to keep their options wide open.
