Jacksonville asks to interview Dallas Cowboys coordinators Dan Quinn, Kellen Moore
The Jacksonville Jaguars have officially requested permission to speak to Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore about their vacant head coaching position.
Tuesday was the first day assistants were allowed to be contacted by NFL teams, thanks to a league rule change allowing NFL teams with vacancies to interview potential candidates in the final two weeks of the regular season.
In addition to Quinn and Moore, the Jaguars also have interview requests for Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, and Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, per reports.
It’s no surprise that Quinn and Moore are among the hot coaching candidates.
Their impact on an 11-4 Cowboys team that has already won the NFC East and clinched a playoff spot can’t be understated.
Moore, who turned down Boise State last year and declined a request to speak with TCU last month because of the potential of an NFL opportunity, has directed a Cowboys offense that ranks first in the NFL in scoring, third in passing, sixth in rushing, and seventh in third-down efficiency.
“If the opportunity shows up, it (would) be awesome,” Moore said Monday. “We got to take care of this thing first.”
Quinn joined the Cowboys in 2021 after being fired by the Atlanta Falcons following five-plus seasons as head coach, including a trip to the Super Bowl in 2016.
He has proved worthy of a second opportunity with his work in transforming a Cowboys defense from one of the worst units in team history in 2020 into a ball-hawking unit that leads the league in turnovers, third-down efficiency and ranks seventh in points allowed.
Quinn said he is having fun with the Cowboys and is focused on getting his current players to reach their full potential.
“I think for me coming here, I wasn’t coming here to look at what my next job would be,” he said. “I wanted to come in here and have a blast and hopefully ... make an impact. If those moments come, I’ll be ready for them if the right scenario came about. But honestly, I’m having a blast right here with this crew and going for it. That’s where my mind is, that’s where my heart is.
“I don’t really spend a lot of time thinking about down the road or what’s next. I just like really being in the moment with the guys. I’m having a blast doing what I’m doing.”
