‘Without Him, I Wouldn’t Be Here': How Dan Quinn Continues to Leave Indirect Imprint on Seahawks’ Defense
RENTON, Wash. - Exactly a decade before Mike Macdonald arrived as the franchise’s ninth head coach and quickly started assembling his own defensive juggernaut, the Seattle Seahawks built one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history, reaching back-to-back Super Bowls behind the vaunted “Legion of Boom” unit in 2013 and 2014.
Sporting the title of head coach, Pete Carroll deservedly received much of the credit for rapidly rebuilding a once-porous defense into one that likely will have multiple Hall of Famers in Canton down the road. General manager John Schneider also received deserved acclaim for reeling in outstanding draft classes from 2010 to 2012 to secure the foundation of a future Lombardi Trophy winner.
But behind the scenes, after replacing Gus Bradley in 2013, Dan Quinn emerged as the schematic architect of Seattle’s No. 1 ranked scoring defense, calling the plays on the sideline and maximizing on the team’s immense talent. Under his guidance, the Seahawks allowed under 16 points per game in his two seasons as defensive coordinator, carrying the team to consecutive Super Bowl appearances and using that success as the catapult into his first head coaching gig in Atlanta.
Now the head man for the Commanders and entering his third season with the franchise, Quinn hasn’t been employed by the Seahawks for a dozen seasons, far removed from his brief tenure as Carroll’s defensive play caller. Still, in an indirect, roundabout way, his presence has had a lingering impact on the team’s coaching staff, including current defensive coordinator Aden Durde getting his start working for Quinn with the Falcons and eventually teaming back up with him in Dallas, as well as the roster.
Given that prior connection and Macdonald’s own affinity for Quinn, Seattle has targeted several players in free agency who previously played for the respected coach, including Pro Bowl defensive end Demarcus Lawrence last season. This spring, that trend continued as Schneider signed two players in free agency who recently played for Quinn in Washington, including former first round picks Dante Fowler Jr. and Noah Igbinoghene, veterans that had been on Macdonald and Durde’s radar dating back to at least the 2025 offseason.
As Fowler recalled, Durde came calling before free agency opened in March 2025, hoping to persuade the veteran pass rusher into a reunion after producing 10.5 sacks in a fine bounce-back season in Quinn’s defense with the Commanders. That pitch ultimately “didn’t work out,” however, as he wound up re-signing with the Cowboys on a one-year deal rather than taking a pay cut to sign with the Seahawks.
But Quinn’s protege remained persistent, this time leaning on Lawrence to help close the deal and recruit his former teammate to the Pacific Northwest as a replacement for the departed Boye Mafe, leading to a visit and eventual signing in early June.
“This year, he gave me a call and I visited. I loved the visit, it went really well,” Fowler told reporters prior to Monday’s training camp practice. “We went forward from there.”
On his path to Seattle, Igbinoghene’s journey featured plenty of parallels to Fowler. Struggling to live up to his draft position, he only lasted three seasons with the Dolphins after being drafted 30th overall in 2020 before being traded in a player swap to the Cowboys, where Quinn had just been hired as the new defensive coordinator after being fired by the Falcons midway through the previous season.
Having only played cornerback for two years at Auburn after converting from receiver, Igbinoghene still had a relative rawness to his game at a position he had not played very long. Rather than look at his shortcomings and failures in Miami, Quinn went back to the drawing board with the goal to rebuild the player’s confidence, using their season together with the Cowboys to overhaul his technique and expand his repertoire learning to play inside the slot as well as on the boundary.
Those efforts didn’t bear any fruit on the field in 2023, as Igbinoghene didn’t record a single tackle in five games after the trade. But Quinn saw enough to believe the young defender could still make an impact in his system, bringing him onboard as a free agent with the Commanders after accepting their head coaching job. Igbinoghene rewarded the coach for his faith in him by following up with the best season of his NFL career, recording 55 tackles and seven pass breakups while primarily playing the nickel spot.
“It really took some getting used to playing DB and to playing corner, especially in this high level. So it was kind of like I was going through a whole development phase, like the minute I got into the league,” Igbinoghene said. “That first year in Dallas with DQ [Dan Quinn], I learned so much that I hadn't known before as far as like technique, coverages, and stuff like that. And it translated. I ended up being blessed to come with him to the Commanders the next year. I feel like without him, I wouldn't be here, honestly.”
From Fowler’s perspective, the 31-year-old had no shortage of reasons to be intrigued by the possibility of joining the Seahawks, though he kept other options on the table as he waited out the market before and after the draft. Stating the obvious, jumping on board with the defending champions always checks off a significant box for veterans who have yet to reach the NFL’s mountaintop, while he was drawn to the culture in the building during his free agent visit along with a defined role that suited his skill set in Macdonald’s scheme.
But familiarity played just as big of a factor for Fowler, who played for Quinn and Durde in Atlanta as well as Dallas along with enjoying two strong seasons as Lawrence’s teammate with the Cowboys. The chance to rekindle those relationships while also signing with a clear title defender led by an exciting “genius” coach in Macdonald calling the shots and an impressive supporting cast on the defensive line made it an easy decision to take up the Seahawks offer this time around.
“I love it. Just being part of great pass rushing groups, it reminds me of when I was with the Jacksonville Jaguars or when I was playing with the Rams or Commanders,” Fowler stated. “We have really good interior guys, great edge rush guys that can get after the quarterback, so I love playing with a group of guys like Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and Byron Murphy. Guys like that can make my job a lot easier, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Similarly, the 26-year-old Igbinoghene spoke with the Seahawks in free agency two years ago before deciding to stay with the Commanders, wanting to stay with the coach who he credits for saving his career. Even in a slightly reduced role compared to 2024, he didn’t allow any touchdowns in coverage with four pass breakups, continuing to improve on defense while pitching in on special teams as well. Coming back to Washington for a third season remained a possibility once the new league year opened.
But when the chance to spread his more versatile wings and “continue growing” in Seattle came again in March, the allure of playing for Macdonald and Durde in arguably the most talented secondary in the league and in a scheme with plenty of similarities to Quinn’s system was too enticing for Igbinoghene to bypass again.
“The defense is just full of dogs, ferocious guys and just an aggressive defense, aggressive play calling, aggressive rushing D-line. It's just every single level of the defense, it's just all of it is aggressive. And I feel like that best describes me as a player,” Igbinoghene explained. “So I think I'm a perfect fit for this team, perfect for this defense, and especially for my cornerback room.”
At this stage of their respective careers, Fowler and Igbinoghene won’t be asked to provide full-time starter snaps for the Seahawks, who return the vast majority of their defense from last year’s Super Bowl squad. But the team did lose talented players in Mafe and Riq Woolen during free agency, creating sizeable voids that Macdonald and Durde will have to account for, and that’s where the two veterans come into play as training camp ramps up.
On the defensive line, Fowler possesses a different kind of juice than Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, or Derick Hall off the edge, still having the ability to pin his ears back and fly upfield as a speed threat for opposing tackles with an array of counters, making him a natural complementary fit to succeed Mafe in the rotation. As a situational rusher who won’t have to play 70% of the snaps, Seattle will be able to keep him fresh and substitute him in for obvious passing downs, letting him focus on his greatest asset without putting too much of a load on his plate or wearing him down with extensive early down run defense snaps.
As for Igbinoghene, the Seahawks love defenders who can play multiple positions for scheme and personnel flexibility. With star Devon Witherspoon poised to continue playing plenty of snaps on the outside and as a slot corner, his versatility likely will help his cause competing against Nehemiah Pritchett and incoming rookies Julian Neal, Andre Fuller, and Michael Dansby, all players who have played on the boundary exclusively in college and/or in the league. Still, he will have to earn that opportunity with a strong camp against stout competition, especially with the team having an abundance of safeties who can play in the slot as well.
If there’s reason for optimism on both players making a positive impact as Seattle tries to defend its title, there’s no question that their previous ties to Quinn and a lesser degree to Durde belong at the top of the list, keeping the former’s legacy alive in the Emerald City as he coaches elsewhere. As established veterans, even if neither of them emerges as a starter and they settle into reserve gigs, they should have a strong understanding of what the coaching staff demands from them while having enough of a baseline with the scheme to be able to hit the ground running as valued contributors.
