Dan Quinn - Head Coach, commanders Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-13 | Full transcript (primary source).
Dan Quinn, Head Coach of the Commanders, addressed the media on September 13, 2026, following a division game loss. In the press conference, he reflected on the team's performance, emphasizing the need to learn from mistakes and improve as they prepare for their next matchup.
Transcript
Quinn: All right, you guys ready to hit? All right, well, as far as division game and a loss, like that's things, man, it does a lot. With the team, I would say I really loved our fight. I like that competitive nature, you've heard me talking about that and what that means. Our battle, the miscues I thought hurt us in this game. And when those are the margins right there, division games or otherwise, those are the lessons I want to make sure that we apply moving forward in the week two. All three phases, just take the example of what we need to do and how do we do go do it better. Like speed, I like playmaking ability, but the miscues, I thought that's the thing, we've got to get those off of our tape. It's great to have Jaden back. I thought that was significant. It was good to see him also learn some lessons from 25, making a play, get down, throw the ball away. Those were things that, as a coach, I don't really know until I get into the games. And he's such a competitor. I thought, man, it's good to have him back into the space. But there's going to be a lot for us to teach off of as we go through this and then get right back into another division game. But like I said, I'm not surprised by our fight and our battle. But as a division game loss, it stings badly. Certainly had our moments to go get it. Yeah, that was the explosive I'd love to see off of our tape. One, I'm kind of going backwards. It looked like they jumped off sides. False start, excuse me, like we stopped. They finished. And like, man, you just finish it out no matter what. Make the official blow it. A scramble for another long one on a third down and long. Those ones are just tough. There's plenty of third downs that I liked. So I just want to make sure, man, over and over and over again. And we're capable of that. But those are the ones, man. Let's nail those.
Quinn: Coach, on that missed ball start, did you get any type of explanation on that?
Quinn: I didn't. So I'm sure we'll get some reviews and things to look at. But as the first game goes, like I said, I thought the battles were there back and forth. There's a couple I had questions on that I'll submit and see what they can come back to. But onto that one, there's a lesson for us to whether it was or was not. Make them finish it out.
Quinn: The first whole game was the fun days in your offense. Kind of just how that looks. I was no tape yet, but how that looks.
Quinn: Yeah. I love the competitive nature that he brings to our team. I feel that in an authentic way. It's a good defense, especially in the past defense with Philadelphia. And so completions are hard. The distances are hard to get to. So getting these third downs, that could be in much less, is much more in winning football. I thought it came better a little bit, David, as the game went on with the runs and the play passes to come off of that. And so sticking with the run game, I thought was significant. I liked some hard runs that I saw. But those two, when they marry and balance together, you get a lot more chances for the explosives. So there's certainly some lessons in that too.
Quinn: With Stefano, I was thinking we have to test out there. What did you say to him after that? How will he move you abroad to?
Quinn: Yeah, we were going to go for two. And I did have a conversation with him about that. This is a real competitor. He knows better in that space, and he knows that. So we did talk about that into that spot. I love his fight. I love what he stands for. But as the competitor he is, he knows better in that spot, and he knew that.
Quinn: What do you think started quick for the offense? What gave you trouble earlier, but what started quick?
Quinn: Yeah, I think sometimes you hang in there and you stay with it, know there's going to be some, and it's again, it's second and 10, and you hang in there and don't chase plays to go. I knew this was going to be a good front and a good challenge. Thought the defensive tackles, the linebackers, the corners, the nickels, like different guys in different spots where the matchups be. As I go back and look at it, we'll assess to say, what are we like? And what were the ones that we want to work on even further, John, in that spot? But as far as play callers, I felt both guys were ready, prepared, never rushed or out of sync or out of sorts. And in a close game like that, you want to make sure each of them count to go. And there's always ones you'll, hey, I'd like to have this back or that back. But as far as first games go, I liked how they prepared, John, how they executed. And then as we get into it, you know, we'll keep working through.
Quinn: What do you think is the next step to sustaining over the course of the entire season?
Quinn: Yeah, I think honestly, like getting these big plays off the tape. And those are the ones that can change field position, you know, and make such a big difference. So I thought a couple of them being on third down, you know, was significant. But if we can eliminate those, I like our speed, I like our hitting, I like our physicality, I like being in and out of pressures for us, but let's get these explosive plays as best we can off. And so too many of them tonight. And I'll give credit, you know, like I thought Saquon, he's an excellent back. So he's going to make someone miss for it. Like that's, you love for that not to happen, but you also don't understand as a coach, like this guy's damn good. And taking the extra step on the quarterback, knowing he's drifting and how do you finish, those are things that you want to keep refining. And as far as game one goes, you know, you want to take those and say, all right, how do we apply the things we want to get better at? And then we do that. And so you hope to make those improvements as you're getting into two, three, four, and then and on and on.
Quinn: There was a shovel. And so I saw penetration. And so that was the one usually that blows up any play down inside. It's a good play down in the red zone. You know, obviously like people come up field, seeing Jaden get out on the edge to go. And so when you, you know, shovel it back inside, there's usually some space to go, but it looked like without seeing, I just felt penetration. I don't know, you know, who or where, you know, if they stun it out to it, but from a play call, it's an effective one. It just wasn't effective.
Quinn: You know, it's not nailed down.
Quinn: Yep. No, it is. Yeah. Yeah. There's a couple of parts to it, which makes it a good one. And we'd run it recently is one, you know, that we had up in the plan. And so I think that's important. You go, what you practice, what you think you can go execute. And so I thought whomever had the penetration, I thought that was the thing that, you know, really knocked the play off course.
Quinn: How long did you get in the decision? Obviously you were saying go for two.
Quinn: Most of them I've seen through the week to where we're going to go. And so in that particular one, he said, what do you think about that? I said, yeah, it's good, man. Let's go for it. So I'll hear them, you know, as we're going through in that particular one, you know, clock stopped and, you know, going to, cause I think they were still reviewing with Antonios. Yeah. So I was kind of like, you're calling it, you know, either way, you know, in here we're at. So whether it's touch and we're going two more or the two point now, you know, like, so that's what the conversations were about.
Quinn: For most of those, I look at like the fourth downs, you know, during the week with the guys, knowing that's part of like, how I kind of assist in the game that goes also for when we'll go, when we'll punt into those spots. And so I try to communicate with David into those spaces. Hey, if it's at this distance, we're going to go. And with Larry as well, if it's this distance, we'll feel goal or punt. And so I just try to be clear with the guys, but I knew the play. I thought it was a good one. Like when it doesn't execute, it sucks. But there were other miscues, you know, in this game that just so happened. That's, you know, the one we see. So that's the stuff I want to see us get cleaned up.
Quinn: Yeah. Yeah, it's also been, I want to get some answers on that. When it's clear and obvious, it's pretty good for me to see, but somebody moving feet, I'd like to see onto those, Ben, to go. Those are the ones that frustrate us, both sides of the line of scrimmage. So let's look at them. Those are the discipline ones I want to see come through. I didn't feel like these guys were prepared for the crowd noise, excellent environment. So I didn't feel like Nick or the line or anybody else was out of whack in that space. So I liked the work that the guys put in, another loud environment to go into, but I didn't feel any, you know, ill preparedness or getting offset, you know, from a crowd standpoint. So we'll have to go take a look at them.
Quinn: What did you see on that in the defense field?
Quinn: It looked like there was, you know, like, you know, receivers in deep spaces, you know, where you're covering deep, and then it did feel open, you know, inside. And so we'll go back, take a look at it and see what to go for. But that's one for sure, Nicky, that leaves a mark. You know, it's like he's excellent at that using his legs. And so those are the ones you got to get out, for sure. But that one hurt. That one hurt.
Quinn: With Terry, obviously, there's an episode going here that season one, get him a lot of cards and all that, I think we'll report tonight. What's the challenge, I know this may be out for David, but for you as a coach, because you guys too, what's the challenge, getting the ball to him versus like, okay, if they're doing this to him, can you do it?
Quinn: That's the part. And it kind of speaks to the competitor that he is. When you don't get touches until, you know, late in the game that you can get frustrated and be off. And that was not him. He kept the same focus. Oftentimes you're looking, okay, if they are clouding to try to take him away, whatever other spots are open. And there were certainly some of that, John. But it does speak to the competitor. He is like, he just stayed in it. And when his moments came to go get some, he did, every game will play out a little bit differently, especially now that we're playing people and better not go just to one, you know, other people can make you pay, and that's important.
Quinn: That's it on the injury side. I don't have a lot to share with you guys. I'll definitely will when we visit next. I know we had a couple that didn't finish the game, but I just simply don't have anything else to share with you on those. And I certainly will once I gain more information.
Quinn: All right, thank you.
