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Dan Quinn inevitably became a hot head coaching candidate over the past two years as a successful defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. Now, Quinn will get his shot to lead an NFL franchise.

The Atlanta Falcons announced Monday via their official website they have hired Quinn as their new head coach.



ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported that Quinn agreed to become the team's head coach on a five-year deal.

Falcons owner and chairman Arthur Blank issued a statement, via the team's announcement:



This is an exciting day for the Atlanta Falcons franchise and our fans. Dan is a talented football coach who has a deep and diverse history in the game, which will serve us well. As we got to know Dan during the interview process, it became clear that he has a definitive plan for our football team and what it will take to win on a consistent basis. He also has a proven ability to develop players by maximizing their individual strengths. For these and many other reasons, Dan became our top pick, and I’m confident our players, staff, fans and community will be proud to have him represent the Falcons.



Quinn also provided a comment:



I am grateful for this opportunity, and I am excited to be the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. This felt like the right fit from the beginning, and I want to thank Mr. Blank for his resolve as this was an extended and complicated process. My goal is to build upon the foundation that has been laid here and to play a physical brand of football as we build a championship caliber team.

Quinn, 44, was on the Seahawks' staff from 2009 to 2010 before heading to the University of Florida to serve as defensive coordinator for two years. He then returned to Seattle to call the shots on defense when Gus Bradley took the head job in Jacksonville.

After dialing up plays for a Super Bowl champion in his first year calling the shots for the Seahawks defense, Quinn received heavy buzz last offseason, and interest in his services only intensified this time around.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller noted that Quinn may have been the most coveted name for those teams seeking to fill coaching vacancies:

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The MMQB's Peter King relayed a glowing review regarding Quinn's viability as a head coach:

Seattle's Super Bowl run prevented Quinn from taking a head coaching job prior to the game. Many of the openings had filled up before Quinn finished with the Seahawks, but Atlanta's patience paid off.

Although the Seahawks made it to back-to-back Super Bowls, the team's 28-24 loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX will sting. Many may think Quinn is leaving Seattle at the right time.

It seems Quinn has what it takes to thrive in his new role. He comes from a winning culture in Seattle that preaches constant competition and appears to be player-friendly. Nevertheless, Quinn must work hard from the start to get the Falcons to buy in if they want to turn things around quickly.

Since Quinn has earned such a stellar reputation, Atlanta must be prepared to rise to the occasion and live up to the hype his arrival generates.