The Washington Commanders have had a seriously disappointing 2025 season. When that happens in the NFL, players, coaches, and management personnel are all at risk of losing their jobs.
Washington’s defense has been in freefall for the last month. Head coach Dan Quinn is likely considering making changes.
He has already done it. No one has lost their job, and I don’t expect anyone to during the season. But Quinn’s decision to take over play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. may only be the tip of the iceberg.
It is impossible for an outsider to assess assistant coaches' performance accurately. The roles of head coaches and coordinators are more public. It is easier to gauge their performance. With assistants, we can only look at the coach's track record and the current production of the coach’s unit.
Commanders could implement a defensive coaching makeover in 2026
The Commanders currently employ 10 coaches, whose primary responsibilities fall on the defensive side of the ball. Whitt presides over the unit as coordinator. Jason Simmons serves as the pass game coordinator.
There are three position coaches. Darryl Tapp handles the line, Ken Norton Jr. the linebackers, and Tommy Donatell the defensive backs.
Each has an assistant. Sharrif Floyd helps out with the line, while Ryan Kerrigan assists Norton with the linebackers. He also serves as a pass rush specialist. William Gay is the assistant defensive back coach.
Two other general assistants are on the staff. Long-time coach John Pagano is a senior assistant, and George Banko handles quality control.
It is hard to single out any one unit as performing well. The defense was never seen as the team's strength, but it was at least competent in 2024. It started that way in 2025. Through the first six weeks, they allowed just one opponent to top the 30-point mark.
Then came a four-game stretch in which the Commanders surrendered an average of 38.5 points per game. They lost each by at least two touchdowns. That is what prompted Quinn to assume play-calling duties.
Injuries have played a significant role. Five opening day starters are out. That may figure into any assessment of Tapp and Floyd most of all. They have lost their top three defensive ends. It was not a particular strength even before the health issues.
Early in the season, the defense's most productive play came from its interior linemen. That has fallen off in recent weeks, but from an outsider’s perspective, Tapp and Floyd have probably been the defense’s most effective coaches this season.
Moving to the next tier, it isn't very clear to piece together what has happened to the linebackers. Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu were second-team All Pros last year. Neither is close to that level in 2025. How do you assess Norton’s role in that decline? As for Kerrigan, the beloved Washington legend has not worked any magic with the pass rushers, but he was not given much to work with. At least Jacob Martin has played well.
The secondary is the biggest concern. This is Whitt’s area of expertise. He has an experienced pass game coordinator in Simmons and two position coaches. Still, the pass defense has struggled mightily.
Responsibility for overall performance falls on the higher-ups. Whitt and Simmons will most likely get the blame for a passing defense that ranks at the bottom of almost every statistic. In several vital categories — yards per attempt, opposing passer rating — they are dead last by a disturbingly high margin.
The lack of development of individual players — especially young, high draft picks who should be cornerstones — may fall on those position coaches. Again, outsiders can’t assess what the coaches are doing. But it is easy to see that something is going very wrong.
The defensive failures in 2025 are the organization's responsibility. Adam Peters will get his share of the blame, as will the players. But the defensive coaches will get a lot of extra scrutiny.
Whitt’s demotion may be the first step in a revamping of the defensive coaching staff this offseason.