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DJ Durkin lands first football gig since Maryland firing
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DJ Durkin will be back on a football field this summer for the first time since he was fired at the University of Maryland.
Monday, Jason Butt of The Athletic reported that Durkin will be joining the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons this summer as a guest coach. He will assist the team through training camp.
According to the report, head coach Dan Quinn did his “due diligence” on Durkin before making the decision to bring him to Atlanta. Quinn and Durkin worked on staff together at the University of Florida, so there’s a past relationship, as well.
Among the guest coaches who will assist the Falcons in training camp is former Maryland head coach DJ Durkin.
— Jason Butt (@JasonHButt) July 22, 2019
Dan Quinn said he knows DJ Durkin’s character and that the Falcons did their due diligence on him. Said there wasn’t any hesitation based on the past he had with Durkin, which included coaching at Florida together.
— Jason Butt (@JasonHButt) July 22, 2019
Durkin was fired in the middle of the 2018 season following an investigation into the death of Maryland player Jordan McNair. He spent the first half of the season on administrative leave while the program was also investigated for a “toxic culture.”
Durkin, 41, was 11-15 in two seasons with the Terrapins. His coaching resumé dates back to 2001, when he started as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green.
This would mark the first time Durkin has worked with an NFL team.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB