Terry Francona of the Cincinnati Reds was the supervisor of the Cleveland Guardians once they failed to carry onto a 3-1 collection lead within the 2016 World Collection after which misplaced to the Chicago Cubs. The following February, Dan Quinn was the Atlanta Falcons’ head coach once they famously squandered a 28-3 benefit en path to shedding Tremendous Bowl LI to the New England Patriots.
In a chunk printed Thursday morning, ESPN’s John Keim famous how Quinn met with Francona throughout Cleveland’s spring coaching exercises shortly after the Tremendous Bowl heartbreak. Now head coach of a Washington Commanders crew that heads into Week 11 at 7-3, Quinn appears to have turn into the chief Francona noticed might emerge all these years in the past.
“He is simple to attach with,” Francona mentioned about Quinn throughout a chat with Keim. “And that to me is a giant praise. You stroll in and sit in someone’s dugout the place you’ve got by no means been earlier than and there’s 40 folks there that you do not know. And he was high-quality.”
After all, nothing Francona mentioned in 2017 might assist Quinn save his Atlanta tenure. Falcons proprietor Arthur Clean fired Quinn after the crew started the 2020 season at 0-5, and Quinn spent three campaigns serving as defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys earlier than Washington employed him this previous winter.
As Commanders head coach, Quinn has impressed in methods past the membership’s document. Forward of Thursday night time’s sport between Washington and the 7-2 Philadelphia Eagles, Eagles large receiver Jahan Dotson noted how Quinn “is aware of easy methods to seize the room and … he makes it very simple for folks to take heed to him and do what he asks.” That is excessive reward, contemplating Quinn and the Commanders traded Dotson to the Eagles in August.
“Guys which have that high quality the place they’ll slot in with everyone offers you a bonus for once you’re teaching as a result of a part of main is connecting with everyone, not simply folks which are such as you,” Francona added about Quinn.
Francona is a three-time American League Supervisor of the Yr Award winner who stepped down as Cleveland skipper after the 2023 season for causes related to his well being however not too long ago returned to the sport to handle the Reds. If Quinn can observe in Francona’s footsteps, the Commanders may very well be on the cusp of changing into a real powerhouse.
As of Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Washington as a four-point underdog for the prime-time showdown at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Monetary Discipline.
