Trevon Diggs makes specific request for Cowboys next defensive coordinator
Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is off to Washington D.C. to take over the Commanders this week, which leaves head coach Mike McCarthy looking for his third coordinator in five seasons. The team has several in-house candidates to consider and star cornerback Trevon Diggs has a favorite amongst them.
On Thursday afternoon, Diggs took to social media to publicly request his position coach as the team’s next defensive coordinator.
“Al Harris for DC,” Diggs tweeted in his first post since news broke of Quinn’s new gig with the Commanders.
Al Harris has coached the Cowboys defensive backs since 2020, developing Diggs, as well as Donovan Wilson and DaRon Bland.
Harris spent the 2019 season as a defensive assistant on Lane Kiffin’s staff at Florida Atlantic University. Before that, he was with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013-18 as the secondary coach.
During his 15-year playing career, Harris starred for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams. He made multiple Pro Bowls and All-Pro recognition before retiring in 2011. Harris was a two-year starter for Texas A&M-Kingsville from 1995-96 before going in the sixth-round of the draft to the Buccaneers.
Dan Quinn expected to bring Joe Whitt to Commanders
According to NFL reporter Steve Wyche, Cowboys secondary coach and passing game coordinator Joe Whitt is expected to join Quinn in D.C. as his defensive coordinator.
“I would expect Quinn to bring along secondary coach/passing game coordinator Joe Whitt to be his defensive coordinator,” Wyche reported after the news broke on Thursday.
Whitt is considered a top in-house candidate to take over for Quinn in Dallas if he doesn’t opt to roll with the new Commanders head coach. He has worked under both Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and Quinn in the past with the Packers and the Falcons.
McCarthy is now on the hunt for his third defensive coordinator in five years with the Cowboys. He began his tenure with Mike Nolan in 2020 before moving on to Dan Quinn in 2021.
Another in-house candidate to watch in Dallas is defensive line coach Aden Durde. Three teams requested to interview Durde this week for their open coordinator positions, according to ESPN reporter Todd Archer. Durde, in his third year with the Cowboys, has interest from the Green Bay Packers, L.A. Rams and the Atlanta Falcons.
The defensive line coach joined the Cowboys staff with Dan Quinn from the Atlanta staff in 2021. He also previously worked with new Falcons head coach Raheem Morris. In Atlanta, he was an outside linebackers coach.