8 Dream Patriots Head Coach Targets to Replace Bill Belichick in 2024

7. Dan Quinn, Cowboys defensive coordinator

Another defensive coordinator to consider would be Dan Quinn, who, like Desai, is also currently in the NFC East. Quinn took over the coordinator position for the Dallas Cowboys in 2021 and quickly turned their ragged bunch into an absolute force.

They’ve been a top-10 scoring defense for three years now and continue to be one of the best units in the league when it comes to getting after the quarterback and creating turnovers. It’s not just one player either as Quinn has had success with Trevon Diggs, who had 11 picks in 2021, and DaRon Bland who has five pick-sixes this season — which is an NFL record. He can also get after the quarterback in waves with Micah Parson, Dorance Armstrong, and DeMarcus Lawrence all thriving under his tutelage.

So far, Dallas has been able to keep Quinn from leaving but he continues to draw interest. Eventually, this will lead to his departure and that could happen ahead of the 2024 season. If he is willing to make the jump back to a head coaching position, New England should be interested.

Quinn does have experience as a head coach which is a plus — and does have a winning record of 43-42. Of course, hiring him in New England would be ironic since this is the team that started his downfall with the Atlanta Falcons.

Following an 11-5 campaign in 2016, Quinn led the Falcons to the Super Bowl where they had a 28-3 lead over the Patriots. Tom Brady was able to orchestrate the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, winning 34-28. Quinn's team continued to spiral from there and he was eventually fired following an 0-5 start in 2020. Even so, he's rehabbed his image nicely and will be a big name again in 2024.