Billionaire Magic Johnson Reveals Plan to Overtake the Cowboys & Eagles and Discusses Dan Quinn’s Hiring as Commanders’ HC

Dan Quinn found his new home in February 2024 after he became the Washington Commanders’ 31st head coach. In the search for a new coach, names like Ben Johnson, Mike Macdonald, and Raheem Morris came up alongside Quinn. However, the 53-year-old was never the backup plan. Now that he’s officially joined the Commanders, co-owner and billionaire Magic Johnson believes a historical era for the franchise has begun.

Magic Johnson feels a cohesive team will be the backbone of the Commanders’ success

The Washington Commanders versus the Dallas Cowboys. It’s an NFL rivalry that Sports Illustrated once called “one of the greatest in sports.” As for the Philadelphia Eagles, their rivalry with the Commanders isn’t any less fierce. With Dan Quinn on board the Washington side and amidst the offseason positivity, Magic Johnson revealed his belief in the franchise to overtake their divisional rivals.

In an interview with WUSA9, the former basketball player expressed his excitement for the upcoming season. Praising Quinn, he said, “We’re excited because Coach Quinn has been a head coach in the league before. He took the Falcons to the Super Bowl. He’s done an amazing job with the Cowboys [as their defensive coordinator].”

Johnson added, “So we know that he knows how to coach. We need an outstanding leader, and we got one in Coach Quinn. Now he’s put together an amazing staff. So it’s up to us to do a good job and free agency and in the draft and just build it, take steps. You got two teams in our division that we’re trying to catch and that’s the Cowboys and the Eagles. And so we got to take steps to do that and build our team the right way.”

After the Commanders hired him, Dan Quinn hired respectable names in the NFL to help the franchise achieve just what Johnson laid out. The new defensive coordinator, Joe Whitt Jr.,  followed him from the Cowboys. Together, they’d won the NFC East Division title in 2023. The new offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, jumped ship from the Arizona Cardinals. With other notable names like Bobby Johnson and Larry Izzo, the confidence was evident in Johnson’s voice.

For the Lakers legend, there was no better person than Dan Quinn for the job. Given last season’s performance, where the Commanders ended last in the NFC East, the team will be looking to bounce back. The 4-13 record isn’t something the Commanders will overlook as they take on their competitors.

Meanwhile, after being let go as the head coach of the Falcons four years ago, Quinn was with the Cowboys from 2021 to 2023. Feeling confident in his abilities, he knew it was time to lead a team once more. But the question is: Will he be able to live up to Magic Johnson’s expectations?

How can Dan Quinn make good on his second chance?

After being fired from the first stint as an NFL head coach, Dan Quinn got a rare second chance to become a head coach once again. Quinn undoubtedly left no stone unturned to acquire the right blend of experience and youth to make a strong start to this second chance. Now, he has the faith and support of Magic Johnson.

Quinn had previously won a Super Bowl as the defensive coordinator for the Seahawks. Returning to a defensive coordinator role with the Cowboys in 2021, Quinn gained valuable experience. During his time with the Cowboys, they excelled in creating turnovers and putting pressure on quarterbacks. Quinn transformed their defense from a zone scheme to one focused on man coverage.

Now, as the head coach of the Commanders, fans hope Quinn can work his magic and improve their defense, which struggled in several critical areas during the 2023 season, as they stood “dead last in the entire NFL in scoring defense (30.5 points per game), total defense (388.9 total yards per game), passing touchdowns allowed (39) and passer rating (105.7).”

It remains to be seen what the 2024 season will bring for the Commanders, Dan Quinn, and Magic Johnson after Ron Rivera’s stint.

Read more: Bruises From NFL Finally Heal for Owner Magic Johnson Courtesy of Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani