In six years as head coach of the Falcons, Dan Quinn never won coach of the year honors. But in his first season with the Cowboys, Quinn won assistant coach of the year.
Quinn received his award for the 2021 regular season during NFL Honors on Thursday night. He is the first Cowboys’ assistant coach to win the award.
Quinn received 31 votes with 12 assistants getting at least one vote. Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier was second with four votes, and Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Bucs offensive coordiantor Byron Leftwich and Raiders special teams coach Rich Bisaccia each received two votes.
The Cowboys gave up the most points in franchise history in 2020, allowing 472. They ranked 31st against the run. That prompted the Cowboys to hire Quinn as their defensive coordinator after the Falcons fired him.
Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs made the All-Pro team as the Cowboys led the NFL in interceptions (26) and takeaways (34) and ranked seventh in the NFL in points allowed per game (21.1).
Quinn interviewed with five teams and had second interviews with the Bears, Giants and Broncos. But he signed a new multi-year deal to stay as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator for 2022.
