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Washington Commanders fire defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
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- Washington Commanders fire defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
One day after refusing to praise offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn will be looking for two new coordinators. After ESPN's Adam Schefter revealed that Kingsbury and Quinn had mutually decided to part ways, he also said the Commanders have moved on from defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
While the Kingsbury move is a surprise, Whitt's departure is not. Washington's defense struggled in both of his seasons as defensive coordinator. After coming over to Washington from Dallas , it was Whitt's first time as a defensive play-caller. The Commanders struggled badly this year, and Quinn took over as defensive play-caller ahead of the Week 11 game against Miami .
The Commanders didn't fare much better under Quinn's leadership. While injuries were a significant problem all season, there was also a talent deficit. But Washington's defense struggled with the most basic of concepts, such as tackling and communication. Another issue was the regression of key young defenders like cornerback Mike Sainristil and safety Quan Martin . Linebacker Frankie Luvu went from making second-team All-Pro to being one of the league leaders in missed tackles.
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General manager Adam Peters acknowledged that Washington has multiple holes to fill, specifically edge rusher. Now, Quinn must also find two new coordinators as they head into a critical third year. Washington went from 12-5 in 2024 to 5-12 in 2025.
Whitt, 47, spent three seasons with the Cowboys as pass game coordinator/secondary coach while Quinn was the defensive coordinator. He also worked under Quinn in Atlanta in the 2020 season.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Dan Quinn fires DC Joe Whitt Jr.
