How Dan Quinn turned the Commanders around in one season

Even though he's a veteran NFL coach, Anthony Lynn still brings a notebook and pen to weekly team meetings.

The Washington Commanders run game coordinator never knows when longtime friend and head coach Dan Quinn will drop a few words of wisdom he might want to reflect on later.

"This stuff doesn't happen by accident," Lynn told FOX Sports regarding Washington's improbable turnaround. "He does a really good job of keeping [the players'] attention and articulating the vision of this brotherhood and trust for one another. And he's constantly emphasizing it."

Last year the Commanders went 4-13, and the team hadn't had a winning record since 2016. On Sunday, Washington will play the Philadelphia Eagles for a berth in the Super Bowl. 

"The [Commanders] were viewed as a joke, let's just be honest," said an opposing coach who asked not to be identified. "And in an instant, he got the franchise back on track, winning prime-time games and one win away from winning the Super Bowl."

In his first season of his second stint as an NFL head coach, the 54-year-old Quinn has shown an ability to create fresh messaging and authentically relate to players. He deftly balances a detailed, old-school approach with the communication skills he gleaned from Pete Carroll during his time as defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks.

"He's the best culture-builder I've seen," Lynn said of Quinn. "When he's done with the NFL, he can just travel and teach people how to build good cultures, because he does that very well. And it just comes so natural to him. It's something he has a passion for. You can see it. And I think that authenticity is what makes guys trust him and buy in so fast.

"He's a damn good X's and O's football coach. But as a