The Washington Commanders’ offense faces uncertainty for the 2025–2026 season after star wide receiver Terry McLaurin officially requested a trade amid a contract dispute. While the request is a troubling sign, head coach Dan Quinn showed support for McLaurin when he addressed the situation publicly for the first time.
Dan Quinn Addresses Terry McLaurin’s Trade Request for First Time
McLaurin has been in an ongoing and public contract dispute with the Commanders for most of the offseason. Despite being the team’s most consistent receiver since they drafted him in 2019, the organization seems reluctant to pay him what he’s asking for.
McLaurin initially held out of training camp and later returned without participating in practices. With negotiations still at a standstill, the wideout has now formally requested a trade out of Washington.
As a head coach, it’s hard to know exactly how to respond when one of your team’s best players wants out of the organization. While Quinn isn’t involved in negotiations, he does represent the Commanders’ front office, which puts him in a tough spot.
However, when Quinn broke his silence on McLaurin’s trade request for the first time, he supported his receiver, explaining that he understands the NFL is a business and hopes the situation can be resolved as soon as possible.
Dan Quinn on Terry McLaurin requesting a trade: “He let me know that that was happening, too. We love Terry. Really glad he’s here. Hopefully he’s out practicing soon. We also understand the business side. … I’m really glad he’s here. I love coaching him. … Somebody asked me…
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) August 2, 2025
“He let me know that that was happening, too,” Quinn said. “We love Terry. Really glad he’s here. Hopefully, he’s out practicing soon. We also understand the business side. … I’m really glad he’s here. I love coaching him.”
Quinn’s support of McLaurin is a good sign for Commanders fans, as it shows their head coach, like them, wants the front office and McLaurin to reach an agreement rather than see the receiver get traded.
The Commanders’ head coach also explained that emotions can run high in contract negotiations. While the trade request may have been a result of those emotions, he does not judge McLaurin’s decision.
Dan Quinn says the Terry McLaurin situation is emotional but he just tries to show support and not offer judgement. Pretty good advice for any kind of emotional situation honestly pic.twitter.com/wy16KcVecP
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) August 2, 2025
“I just try to not judge him,” Quinn said. “The best I can. It’s not always that easy to do, knowing that it’s an emotional time.”
For Quinn, the whole situation is far from ideal. He wants to focus on coaching and not worry about contract disputes. McLaurin’s trade request is obviously frustrating, but it’s good to see that he’s doing his best to be supportive of the receiver rather than widening the divide.
