Cowboys Announce Who Will Take Over As Head Coach
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: A Dallas Cowboys helmet at AT&T Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Mike McCarthy will not be on the sidelines for the Dallas Cowboys when they take on the New Orleans Saints this Thursday. But somebody has to step in and run the team in his absence.
Speaking to the media on Monday, McCarthy announced that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will serve as head coach against the Saints. Quinn will be moving down from the coaches booth and work on the sidelines.
It's a spot that Quinn has plenty of familiarity with. Quinn served as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 until his firing in 2020. He went 43-42 at the helm, leading the Falcons to a Super Bowl in 2016.
Since taking over as the Cowboys defensive coordinator, the team has improved by leaps and bounds. After giving up a franchise record number of points in 2020, the Cowboys defense currently ranks in the top half of the league.
Mike McCarthy is currently battling COVID-19 and has been ruled out for this week's game. But there are also a number of other Cowboys coaches who are battling the virus too and won't be able to join the team against New Orleans.
The timing of McCarthy's absence could hardly be worse. Dallas have lost three of their last four games and lost a lot of ground in their battle for the NFC East title, as well as a first-round bye.
Luckily for the Cowboys, they have a more experienced hand than most teams have replacing McCarthy for now.
Was Dan Quinn the right choice to serve as head coach in McCarthy's absence? Will Quinn lead the Cowboys to a win over New Orleans?
