Quinn said he had "an absolute blast" coaching Parsons, and it isn't difficult to see why. Parsons has been to four Pro Bowls, three of which were earned while playing for Quinn, with two First Team All-Pro selections. He was the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year in his first season with Quinn and second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2022. In the three seasons he played or Quinn, Parsons recorded 40.5 sacks with 213 tackles, eight pass breakups and seven forced fumbles.
Coaching against Parsons is not as fun for Quinn, who joked on Tuesday that he thinks the Packers should bench Parsons just for this week. He ranked third in pass-rush win-rate last year and generated 70 pressures. He can line up at multiple spots on the defensive line and operate and cover like a linebacker. And as Quinn mentioned, his speed allows him to hawk down quarterbacks trying to evade him in the backfield.
"I think there's been some rushes that he could surprise some people if you haven't faced him, knowing that he can really jump off the ball," Quinn said.
Like other top-tier players the Commanders have faced and will see throughout the season, Quinn said they want to make sure they know where Parsons is on every play. If he's at a spot that could be vulnerable, such as him going against rookie Josh Conerly Jr., they want to do whatever they can to turn it into a strength. In Conerly's case, that could be adding extra support on that side, whether it be tight end John Bates or providing chip block help from slot receivers.
Of course, the Packers have several talented players on defense, which adds another layer of difficulty for the Commanders.
"You wanna have enough balance in how you do things to make sure that one player doesn't get too much attention, but also enough that they don't wreck the game," Quinn said.