The Atlanta Falcons formally introduced Dan Quinn, who spent the past two seasons as Seattle’s defensive coordinator, as their new head coach Tuesday, one day after Quinn agreed to the terms of a five-year contract. Quinn won the job over six other candidates and will be given full control over Atlanta’s roster.
“I’m fired up to be here,” the 44-year-old Quinn said in an Atlanta press conference. “We’re going to play fast and physical.”
Quinn, who coached the Seahawks’ top-rated defense in each of his two years in Seattle, said he will involve himself in defensive game planning but hasn’t decided yet if he will call plays.
Quinn named Kyle Shanahan as his offensive coordinator, Richard Smith as defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris as assistant head coach and passing game coordinator, and Keith Armstrong special teams coordinator. No Seahawks assistants have so far joined him in Atlanta. Whether that his Quinn’s choice or a request of Carroll’s is not known.
Quinn inherits an Atlanta team from the deposed Mike Smith that finished third in the NFC South with a 6-10 record. The Falcons have not been in the playoffs since 2012, the year they eliminated the Seahawks in a divisional playoff game before losing the conference title contest to the San Francisco 49ers.
Quinn is the second Pete Carroll assistant to become an NFL head coach, following former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who left after the 2012 season to coach the Jacksonville Jaguars. Quinn replaced Bradley in Seattle.