Demonstrating the same energy in a press conference as when he motivating a group of linebackers on the field, coach Dan Quinn enters the Falcons’ media room almost the same way every time.
“Here we go!” Quinn chimes as he walks to the podium.
After leaving the podium, his energy lingers. The first-year head coach is frequently seen participating in a warm-ups and drills with his team.
Behind closed doors, Quinn’s unique football philosophy has kept the Falcons’ motivated despite a fluctuating season.
One of the highs of Quinn’s first year was watching running back Devonta Freeman break out from a back-up role into the spotlight. In his second pro season, Freeman was nominated for his first Pro Bowl and enters the season-ending date with the Saints on Sunday tied for the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns (11).
Although he has thrived under Quinn and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s scheme, the impact Quinn has on Freeman’s goes beyond the turf.
“He’s always uplifting,” Freeman said. “Sometimes, there will be times when I’m a little down on myself and he’d said a few things, gave me a few tips and I just took it and ran with it.”
One of the most effective Quinn sayings to impact Freeman is Quinn’s call to “bring the juice” to everything the team does.
“They call me ‘Juice Man’ around here,” Freeman said. “I think it’s important for everyone to define their role. That’s one thing that stood out to (me about) Coach Dan Quinn is ‘bring the juice’ and compete every day. Do whatever it takes to get the team going on my behalf.”
How Quinn can bring a personal touch to every player on the Falcons’ roster is what impresses linebacker O’Brien Schofield, who knew Quinn well before he was head coach.
The two were with the Seahawks from 2013-2014, when Quinn was the defensive coordinator and the team won a pair of NFC championships and the Super Bowl (2013). Saddled with more responsibility and pressure as a head coach, Schofield sees the same coach who made a defense personable and has somehow done the same to a 53-man roster.
“I think he’s breaking the mold, man,” Schofield said. “When you come to a new area, you got to break the foundation of whatever was there before to get the guys to loosen up and understand his philosophy. I think he’s the same guy. The way he goes for it, his mindset, his attitude, his philosophy of how we’re going to play and his expectations are all still the same.”
The most prevalent part of Quinn’s philosophy for Schofield is his positivity even in the darkest scenarios. While the Falcons’ six-game losing streak redirected the season, Quinn seemed incapable of showing any emotion other than optimism. He tried to turn the hardship into a lesson.
“It is hard to go through some of the (games), but I do know this: I learned a great deal during that time, not only about myself but about the team, the staff and the coaching,” Quinn said. “You have to go through some struggles sometimes. We all recognize that.
“They’re painful as hell at times, but that’s where some of that grit is developed and for some of the young players who haven’t maybe even gone through some of that, to know how hard that struggle is, to know I can reach a new ceiling and I can get to a bigger spot as a player. I think those times are really valuable. Painful, but valuable.”
Schofield fully recognizes that Quinn’s brand of optimism is not exactly normal for the league, but it is Quinn’s normal.
“A lot of teams I’ve played on, some coaches aren’t (positive). Some coaches will jump you, they’ll get in your face, but it wasn’t like that in Seattle and it’s not like that here,” Schofield said. “If he has to get on you, he will. But he’s not a coach who just wants to (curse at) you and make it feel too personal.
“The positive outlook on how he critiques us, I think it really helps because in this whole game it’s all confidence. You don’t want to kill the players’ confidence.”
The confidence Quinn emits on the practice field undoubtedly contributed to the Falcons’ 20-13 upset over the Panthers last Sunday, lifting the team up to a high point of the season after a no-win November. Just a few hours later, reality set in when the team was eliminated from postseason contention. To many, the season is over.
But not to Quinn. For him, every week is a championship week.
“There’s for sure some disappointment that goes along with (not making playoffs). We accept those consequences. It’s like ripping a Band-Aid off. It’s time for us to get right back to it and go to work,” Quinn said.
In fact, Quinn was so zeroed in on the Saints that he brushed off many of last week’s questions about reflecting on his first season or his planning for the next.
“I’m not going to try to look too far ahead right now,” Quinn said. “Honestly, the focus is for us to play so well this week and make the point of emphasis.”
As they prepare for the last game of Quinn’s inaugural season, the Falcons seem to have adopted his philosophy of positivity and bringing their best every chance they get.
“Coach Quinn talks all the time about finishing,” quarterback Matt Ryan said. “Finishing games, finishing wins, finishing drives, finishing plays and certainly finishing this season the right way. That’s part of the mindset of what he believes in and I think guys have bought into it. I think it would be good for us to finish (this season) with a really positive effort.”
About the Author
