LANDOVER, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 10: Head coach Dan Quinn of the Washington Commanders reacts in the second quarter of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Northwest Stadium on November 10, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
From underdogs to alpha predators, the Washington Commanders are no longer flying under the radar. After a surprising and inspiring 2024 campaign under head coach Dan Quinn, the league has officially taken notice. With a revamped roster, a re-tooled defense, and a newfound identity, Washington isn’t sneaking up on anyone anymore, and that’s exactly how Quinn wants it.
After a recent minicamp session, Quinn addressed the media with a mantra that quickly made waves: “We are always the hunter, never the hunted.” The message was clear: no matter how high the expectations soar or how many national eyeballs are watching, the Commanders are maintaining their aggressive edge.
Quinn, known for his fiery defensive schemes and motivational leadership, isn’t interested in basking in last season’s glow. The Commanders, who made a late-season playoff push to the NFC title game and sent shockwaves through the NFL, are now facing a 2025 season full of primetime lights and global attention. Eight of their games will be marquee matchups, including a high-profile international showdown in Madrid, Spain, against the Miami Dolphins. That type of exposure is reserved for contenders, not underdogs.
But Quinn is leaning into the spotlight, not shrinking from it. “You have to earn that every day—being the aggressor,” he said. “It’s not about where they put us on the schedule. It’s about how we respond every snap.”
Keeping the Edge in a Spotlight Season
What makes Quinn’s approach so compelling is how well it resonates with the DNA of the team he’s building. The Commanders have morphed from a rebuilding roster into one of the NFL’s most physical and mentally tough teams. Players like linebacker Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu, and newly signed free agents Leremy Tunsil (OT), Deebo Samuel (WR), and defensive lineman Jevon Kinlaw, should continue to thrive under Quinn’s no-nonsense, “set-the-tone” mentality. Quinn’s defenses in Atlanta and Dallas were known for speed, violence, and relentless pressure, and he’s replicating that identity in Washington.
But 2025 won’t be easy. The Commanders face one of the league’s most difficult schedules and will now play with the weight of expectations. Last year, teams may have overlooked them. This year, they’re circled on the calendar. That includes the Week 11 overseas clash against Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins in Madrid, one of the NFL’s marquee international games this season. It’s a statement game and a showcase of just how far Washington has come and how far they still want to go.
“We welcome the pressure,” defensive tackle Daron Payne said. “Coach Quinn tells us pressure is a privilege. If they’re watching us more, that means we’re doing something right. But it also means we have to stay hungry.”
A New Way of Thinking
That mindset is exactly what Quinn preaches: controlled intensity, internal accountability, and always playing as if they’ve got something to prove. Even with second-year franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels expected to lead an even more explosive offense, Quinn’s tone-setting presence, along with defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., on that side of the ball, will be what defines the team.
As camp rolls into the summer and the regular season draws near, Washington’s internal messaging remains consistent. No resting on past success. No getting caught up in media buzz or offseason hype. This team is on the hunt every week, every snap, regardless of who lines up across from them.
Quinn’s message to his team may be simple, but it’s powerful: “We chase. We don’t sit back. That’s who we are.”
With the spotlight brighter than ever, the Commanders are ready to prove they belong among the NFL’s elite and that being the hunter is more than a motto. It’s their new identity.
