[1]Skip to Content [2]Defector home [3]Defector home [4]Subscribe[5]Log In [6][ ] Menu [9][ ]Search Search • [11]Crosswords • [12]NFL • [13]NBA • [14]MLB • [15]NHL • [16]WNBA • [17]Soccer • [18]Podcasts • [19]Arts And Culture • [20]Politics • [21]About Us • [22]Send Us A Tip (News) • [23]Send Us A Tip ($) • [24]Merch Shop • [25]How To Pitch Defector • [26]Defector Freelancer Policies • [27]Crossword Submission Guidelines • [28]Books By Defectors • [29]Defector Hall of Fame • [30]Masthead • [31]How To Comment On Defector • [32]RSS Feed • [33]Terms of Use • [34]Manage Your Account [35]Log In[36]Subscribe • [37]Defector Twitch • [38]Defector Bluesky [39]Subscribe to skip adsAdvertisement [40]Announcements Dan McQuade, 1983–2026 [41][IMG] By [42]Tom Ley 7:50 PM EST on January 28, 2026 • [43]Share on Bluesky • [44]Share on Reddit • [45]Share on WhatsApp • [46]Share on Email Dan McQuade sits in a blue chair, which is big and fake leather-ish, and has big arms on it. He has his head resting on his left arm, which is on the left arm of the chair. He has long light brown hair, a beard cropped to his face, and I dunno I'd say he's pretty handsome, but I am biased as I am the subject of the photo. Dan is wearing a red shirt with a grey and white tabby cat's face on it, with a rose under (and patially covering) the cat. Under that it says DEFECTOR with the 4 degrees slant logo. He has on blue shorts or pants (they're shorts, I know they're shorts), they're not jeans but they're not sweats, like a sort of inbetween situation. There's a hospital admit bracelet on his left arm. His right arm is on the other arm of the couch. [47] 808Comments Dan McQuade, our friend and colleague, died this week at the age of 43. He is survived by his wife and young son. At the end of 2024, Dan was [48]diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer. The news of his diagnosis hit all of us hard, but Dan never lost his enthusiasm or his spirit. Some of us have worked with Dan for nearly a decade, and all of us have come to know him not just as a coworker, but as a great friend.  Dan was a truly authentic and engaging person. His curiosity was relentless, and his interests were varied and idiosyncratic; his beliefs were righteous and genuinely held; his connection to his community was deep and meaningful.  We miss Dan dearly, and will be honoring his memory more thoroughly in the days and weeks to come. For now, though, we are going to slow down the site for a bit to be with our families, our friends, and each other. Over the next few days, some of our favorite stories that Dan published here at Defector will be curated on the homepage. We hope you’ll read and enjoy them.  [49]Subscribe to skip adsAdvertisement If you liked this blog, please share it! Your referrals help Defector reach new readers, and those new readers always get a few free blogs before encountering our paywall. • [50]Share on Bluesky • [51]Share on Reddit • [52]Share on WhatsApp • [53]Share on Email [54][IMG] [55]Tom Ley Editor-in-Chief Read More: • [56]dan mcquade Stay in touch Sign up for our free newsletter [57][ ]Email Sign up More from Defector [59]Cycling [60] Double Kangaroo Chaos Will Reverberate Across The Cycling Season [61]50Comments [62][hea] [63]Patrick Redford January 28, 2026 [64]The peloton rides past a kangaroo road sign during the Tour Down Under UCI Men's Cycling in Adelaide on January 25, 2026. [65]Podcasts [66] How Do You Make A Podcast When The World Is On Fire? [67]4Comments [68]A headshot of Jae Towle Vieira [69]Jae Towle Vieira January 28, 2026 [70][2025_NormalGossip_LogoArt_16_9_Loc] [71]NFL [72] Bill Belichick Becomes The Target Of Someone Else’s Pettiness, For A Change [73]146Comments [74][rat] [75]Ray Ratto January 28, 2026 [76]Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels gives a thumbs up during the ACC Football Kickoff at Hilton Charlotte Uptown on July 24, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. He looks real weird doing it. [77]NFL [78] Heartwarming: Miserable Man Frustrated In Ultimately Insignificant Way [79]228Comments [80][Vic] [81]David Roth January 28, 2026 [82]New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick announces he is leaving the team during a press conference at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on January 11, 2024. [83]Politics [84] Lindsey Graham Has Waited Decades For The Chance To Obliterate Iran [85]254Comments [86]Seamus Malekafzali [87]Séamus Malekafzali January 28, 2026 [88]Donald Trump looks on as Lindsey Graham talks in the foreground. [89]NFL [90] This Season Belongs To Sam Darnold [91]609Comments [92][dre] [93]Drew Magary January 27, 2026 [94]SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25: Sam Darnold #14 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after defeating the Los Angeles Rams an NFC Championship NFL football game at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. [95]See all posts [96]Subscribe to skip adsAdvertisementClose [98]Defector home [99]Defector home This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference. Stay in touch Sign up for our free newsletter [100][ ]Email Sign up • [102]Defector Twitch • [103]Defector Bluesky The last good website. • [104]Send Us A Tip • [105]Advertise With Us • [106]Support and General Questions • [107]Press Inquiries • [108]Hall of Fame • [109]Masthead • [110]Privacy Notice • [111]Terms of Use © Copyright 2026 Made in partnership with [112]Lede References: [1] https://defector.com/dan-mcquade-1983-2026#main [2] https://defector.com/ [3] https://defector.com/ [4] https://defector.com/products [5] https://defector.com/login [11] https://defector.com/tag/defector-crosswords [12] https://defector.com/category/nfl [13] https://defector.com/category/nba [14] https://defector.com/category/mlb [15] https://defector.com/category/nhl [16] https://defector.com/category/womens-basketball/wnba [17] https://defector.com/category/soccer [18] https://defector.com/category/podcasts [19] https://defector.com/category/arts-and-culture [20] https://defector.com/category/politics [21] https://defector.com/about-us [22] https://defector.com/tips [23] https://defector.com/tip-jar [24] https://defectorstore.com/ [25] https://defector.com/how-to-pitch-defector [26] https://defector.com/freelancer-policies [27] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vsMt8kzQug6h9qe9B2LObcxUFt0T-ESp/edit [28] https://defector.com/books-by-defectors [29] https://defector.com/defector-hall-of-fame [30] https://defector.com/masthead [31] https://defector.com/how-to-comment-on-defector [32] https://defector.com/feed [33] https://defector.com/terms-of-use [34] https://defector.com/?pn=manage_account [35] https://defector.com/login [36] https://defector.com/products [37] https://www.twitch.tv/defectormedia [38] https://bsky.app/profile/defector.com [39] https://defector.com/products [40] https://defector.com/category/announcements [41] https://defector.com/author/tom-ley [42] https://defector.com/author/tom-ley [43] https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Dan%20McQuade%2C%201983%E2%80%932026%20-%20https%3A%2F%2Fdefector.com%2Fdan-mcquade-1983-2026 [44] http://www.reddit.com/submit/?title=Dan%20McQuade%2C%201983%E2%80%932026&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdefector.com%2Fdan-mcquade-1983-2026 [45] https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?text=Check%20out%20this%20story%3A%20Dan%20McQuade%2C%201983%E2%80%932026%20https%3A%2F%2Fdefector.com%2Fdan-mcquade-1983-2026 [46] mailto:?body=https%3A%2F%2Fdefector.com%2Fdan-mcquade-1983-2026&subject=Dan%20McQuade%2C%201983%E2%80%932026 [47] https://defector.com/dan-mcquade-1983-2026#coral_thread [48] https://defector.com/my-life-with-an-uncommon-cancer [49] https://defector.com/products [50] https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Dan%20McQuade%2C%201983%E2%80%932026%20-%20https%3A%2F%2Fdefector.com%2Fdan-mcquade-1983-2026 [51] http://www.reddit.com/submit/?title=Dan%20McQuade%2C%201983%E2%80%932026&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdefector.com%2Fdan-mcquade-1983-2026 [52] https://api.whatsapp.com/send/?text=Check%20out%20this%20story%3A%20Dan%20McQuade%2C%201983%E2%80%932026%20https%3A%2F%2Fdefector.com%2Fdan-mcquade-1983-2026 [53] mailto:?body=https%3A%2F%2Fdefector.com%2Fdan-mcquade-1983-2026&subject=Dan%20McQuade%2C%201983%E2%80%932026 [54] https://defector.com/author/tom-ley [55] https://defector.com/author/tom-ley [56] https://defector.com/tag/dan-mcquade [59] https://defector.com/category/cycling [60] https://defector.com/double-kangaroo-chaos-will-reverberate-across-the-cycling-season [61] https://defector.com/double-kangaroo-chaos-will-reverberate-across-the-cycling-season#coral_thread [62] https://defector.com/author/patrick-redford [63] https://defector.com/author/patrick-redford [64] https://defector.com/double-kangaroo-chaos-will-reverberate-across-the-cycling-season [65] https://defector.com/category/podcasts [66] https://defector.com/how-do-you-make-a-podcast-when-the-world-is-on-fire [67] https://defector.com/how-do-you-make-a-podcast-when-the-world-is-on-fire#coral_thread [68] https://defector.com/author/jae-towle-vieira [69] https://defector.com/author/jae-towle-vieira [70] https://defector.com/how-do-you-make-a-podcast-when-the-world-is-on-fire [71] https://defector.com/category/nfl [72] https://defector.com/bill-belichick-becomes-the-target-of-someone-elses-pettiness-for-a-change [73] https://defector.com/bill-belichick-becomes-the-target-of-someone-elses-pettiness-for-a-change#coral_thread [74] https://defector.com/author/ray-ratto [75] https://defector.com/author/ray-ratto [76] https://defector.com/bill-belichick-becomes-the-target-of-someone-elses-pettiness-for-a-change [77] https://defector.com/category/nfl [78] https://defector.com/heartwarming-miserable-man-frustrated-in-ultimately-insignificant-way [79] https://defector.com/heartwarming-miserable-man-frustrated-in-ultimately-insignificant-way#coral_thread [80] https://defector.com/author/david-roth [81] https://defector.com/author/david-roth [82] https://defector.com/heartwarming-miserable-man-frustrated-in-ultimately-insignificant-way [83] https://defector.com/category/politics [84] https://defector.com/lindsey-graham-has-waited-decades-for-the-chance-to-obliterate-iran [85] https://defector.com/lindsey-graham-has-waited-decades-for-the-chance-to-obliterate-iran#coral_thread [86] https://defector.com/author/seamus-malekafzali [87] https://defector.com/author/seamus-malekafzali [88] https://defector.com/lindsey-graham-has-waited-decades-for-the-chance-to-obliterate-iran [89] https://defector.com/category/nfl [90] https://defector.com/this-season-belongs-to-sam-darnold [91] https://defector.com/this-season-belongs-to-sam-darnold#coral_thread [92] https://defector.com/author/drew-magary [93] https://defector.com/author/drew-magary [94] https://defector.com/this-season-belongs-to-sam-darnold [95] https://defector.com/all [96] https://defector.com/products [98] https://defector.com/ [99] https://defector.com/ [102] https://www.twitch.tv/defectormedia [103] https://bsky.app/profile/defector.com [104] https://defector.com/tips [105] https://defector.com/advertise-with-defector [106] https://defector.com/other-stuff [107] https://defector.com/other-stuff [108] https://defector.com/defector-hall-of-fame [109] https://defector.com/masthead [110] https://defector.com/privacy-notice [111] https://defector.com/terms-of-use [112] https://joinlede.com/