Cowboys hire Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator.
The Dallas Cowboys agreed to terms Monday with former Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn to be their defensive coordinator, turning over a unit that was among the worst in franchise history to someone who built his reputation on defense in Seattle.
Quinn was already on the hot seat with the Falcons before an 0-5 start that included Atlanta becoming the first team in NFL history to lose back-toback games after leading by at least 15 points in the fourth quarter. One of those losses was to the Cowboys.
The 50-year-old Quinn replaces Mike Nolan, who lasted just one season as the most important hire for first-year coach Mike
Mccarthy. Dallas allowed a franchise-record 473 points (29.6 per game) and finished 31st in the NFL in run defense while going 6-10.
Eagles cut ties with Pederson
The Philadelphia Eagles
have fired coach Doug Pederson, less than three years after he led them to the franchise’s only Super Bowl title.
Pederson was 42-37-1 in five seasons. He led the Eagles to two division titles and three playoff appearances before going 4-11-1 in 2020. Pederson met with owner Jeffrey Lurie last week and again Monday.
Pederson benched Carson Wentz for the final four games after the quarterback had the worst season of his career and started rookie Jalen Hurts.
Belichick opts not to accept medal
New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he will not receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, saying “remaining true to the people, team and country I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award.”
In a one-paragraph statement, the six-time Super Bowl winning coach did not say explicitly he had turned down the offer from President Donald Trump, instead explaining “the decision has been made not to move forward with the award” in the wake of last week’s deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol.
Texans expand coaching search
The Houston Texans’ search for a new head coach took them on a Northern path Monday as they officially requested permission to interview Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Baltimore assistant head coach David Culley.
Frazier, 61, had a 21-32-1 record as Vikings head coach from 2010-13.
Culley, 65, coaches the Ravens’ receivers and serves as their passing game coordinator.
Odds and ends
The New York Jets have interviewed Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and New Orleans Saints secondary coach Aaron Glenn for their head coaching vacancy. ... The Atlanta Falcons conducted interviews with Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and Tampa Bay defensive coordinator Todd Bowles for their head coaching job. ... Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs won’t face a DUI charge in his single-vehicle crash last week near Mccarran International Airport, authorities said Monday.