Brock and Salk: Should Seahawks bring Dan Quinn back this season?

When the news hit that the Atlanta Falcons had fired Dan Quinn after five-plus seasons as the organization’s head coach, rumors instantly began swirling that the Seahawks could bring back their former defensive coordinator (2013-2014) to assist a struggling defense for the rest of 2020.

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When asked about Quinn on Monday, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny and Gallant that he and Quinn hadn’t yet spoken, but seemed to open the door for a reunion.

Related: Pete Carroll addresses Dan Quinn’s firing in Atlanta

“I haven’t even talked to Danny yet. It all happened and we kind of heard the news leaking out. I haven’t talked to him yet,” Carroll said. “I don’t know what he’s thinking. My first thought is, what’s good for Dan to help him get through this? Like if there’s something we can do to help him, then we’ll talk about it or whatever.”

When asked on Monday by reporters about bringing Quinn back to the Seahawks in some capacity this season, Carroll was pretty blunt about his thinking at that point in time.

“I’m not thinking anything about that right now.”

With the Seahawks in their bye and more time having passed since Quinn’s firing, should the Seahawks bring Quinn, who was the defensive coordinator of the back-to-back Super Bowl teams in 2013 and 2014, back to Seattle to coach or consult? Brock Huard and Mike Salk had very different opinions in the latest Brock and Salk Podcast for 710 ESPN Seattle.

“No, he’s not going to come in and consult,” Huard said. “I think Dan Quinn is going to get away from the game of football … I don’t think for (current Seahawks defensive coordinator) Ken Norton you want to bring Dan Quinn in right now. Ken Norton’s got enough challenges to coordinate and call and personnel and everything else.”

Norton has been the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator since 2018 and with the defense having struggled mightily in 2019 and continuing to struggle in 2020, some question if Norton could be fired and Quinn replaces him either during the 2020 season or afterwards.

Salk thinks adding a defensive-minded coach who knows your system and team can’t hurt at all.

“The first phone I could reach would be calling Dan Quinn … If I’m Pete Carroll, I’ve got to bring Dan Quinn in,” he said. “It’s all about competition, right? Either you’re competing or you’re not. This defense is not competing for the most part. They’ve got a bunch of turnovers, thankfully, and that’s the only thing that’s kept the team in these games.”

The Seahawks are second in the NFL in turnovers forced on defense, but are on pace to allow the most yards in a single season in NFL history. Huard said that a lot of that falls on personnel rather than Norton.

“We don’t have the horses. We knew this in training camp. Everybody did around this building,” he said.

Salk thinks it’s just a matter of accumulating talent wherever you can in order to get the defense on the right track.

“You have a chance to add talent to your coaching room, you have all the money in the world to spend on coaches, yes, absolutely (sign him),” he said. “Whatever I’ve got to do to help fix this thing. And if I have to send a message, I don’t think confidence is the issue for Ken Norton. He’s got a problem right now that his defense isn’t very good. And if bringing Dan Quinn in helps with that, then I’m doing it and I’m not even thinking twice about it.”

Listen to the latest Brock and Salk Podcast at this link or in the player below.

Follow Brock Huard and Mike Salk on Twitter.

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