The Washington Commanders enter 2026 with expectations to return to respectability after a disastrous 2025 season. Head coach Dan Quinn faces heightened scrutiny, especially after both top assistants were replaced: David Blough takes over the offense from Kliff Kingsbury, and Daronte Jones becomes defensive coordinator after Joe Whitt Jr. The team also faces a difficult stretch in the first nine weeks, with many early games likely resulting in underdog status. If the Commanders start poorly, the urgency for coaching changes increases. Despite the possibility of improving later as new pieces gel, a slow start could put Quinn on the hot seat and threaten his job before the season ends.
"The schedule does him no favors. Let's say they jump out to a slow start and they're 1-4 or 1-5, then what? The urgency in the NFL is greater than it ever has been for coaches."
"Both of Quinn's top assistants were replaced this offseason, with David Blough taking over the offense from Kliff Kingsbury and Daronte Jones succeeding Joe Whitt Jr. as the defensive coordinator. If those two moves don't pan out, the head coach will be the next to go."
"Due to both the schedule and the heavy roster turnover, which takes time to click, the Commanders seem like a classic second-half team in 2026. They're the type of team that could very easily start 2-5 or 3-6 and then finish above .500 with all of the momentum heading into a potential playoff push."
"The Commanders are likely to be underdogs in six, possibly seven of their first eight games. If they can't find a way to turn at least a couple of those into wins, the noise is going"
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