NFL players love Dan Quinn. He may be the most player-friendly coach in the NFL. It’s easy to see why players revere Quinn. He builds relationships, not just with every player on the 90-man roster, but with everyone in the building, too. He also takes care of his players.
Since taking over as head coach of the Washington Commanders in 2024, Quinn has given his veteran players a rest day during the week. Whether it was Zach Ertz, Laremy Tunsil, or others, Quinn takes care of his guys. You could add Bobby Wagner to that mix, too, but Wagner didn’t like to miss any practice unless he was dealing with an injury.
Quinn taking care of his players also extends to the offseason workouts and training camp. Teams are already restricted in what they can do during offseason workouts and OTAs. In training camp, you’re not allowed to practice in full pads until Day 7. Two-a-days, which used to be common, are much different now. If you schedule two-a-days, one must be a walkthrough only.
Dating back to his time as head coach of the Falcons, many have said Quinn takes it too easy on players in training camp. That was mentioned often last summer, with the Commanders coming off a 12-5 season, in which they reached the NFC Championship game.
Whether that’s true or not, it’s the perception. Players like it. But after a 5-12 season in 2025 that Quinn said went “terribly,” could things be changing this summer?
In his rookie minicamp notebook from Friday, Zach Selby of commanders.com offered the following observation:
Practice felt a little more loaded compared to previous years. The afternoon featured two team periods and two seven-on-seven periods — a marked increase from what the 2025 class experienced during their first rookie minicamp practice. Perhaps it doesn’t mean much, but Quinn did say at the end of the season that there would be several changes to the team’s operations during the week. It’s possible it’s the start of something new for the team.
This is an encouraging sign. Remember, Quinn also hired two new coordinators, OC David Blough and DC Daronte Jones. He may be allowing them to run things at their discretion. But since the end of last season, he’s had a bit of a different tone when he’s met with the media. Quinn hasn’t treated anyone differently, but he’s stressed that the 2025 season was unacceptable for everyone, including himself.
Selby, noting that practice felt a little more “loaded” is an excellent observation. While it may mean nothing, it could also be significant. We’ll know more when Washington’s OTAs begin later this month, and the Commanders hold their mandatory minicamp next month.
Quinn has always tried to maintain a true balance by making sure he gets the most out of players while also taking care of them. After running what many believed was a soft camp last year, the Commanders were among the most injured teams in the NFL.
Quinn understands how important this season is not only for him and his future in Washington, but also for the entire organization.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Could training camp be more difficult in 2026?
