Veteran defensive coach Vic Fangio, an advisor to the Eagles during their 2022 Super Bowl run, has emerged as a “top target” for the Eagles' defensive coordinator job and “a deal is expected,” according to ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler .
Fangio spent last year quietly with the Eagles before becoming the Dolphins' defensive coordinator last season. According to Schefter and Fowler, his and the Dolphins parted ways on Wednesday.
Fangio could have easily become the Eagles' defensive coordinator after the 2022 season, but when Jonathan Gannon was hired as the Cards' head coach on February 14, Fangio had joined Mike McDaniel's Dolphins staff as defensive coordinator.
In his 20 years as an NFL defensive coordinator – four years with the Panthers, three years with the Colts, four years with the Texans, four years with the 49ers, four years with the Bears and one year with the Dolphins – he has had eight defenses Top 10 in points allowed and top 10 in yards allowed.
In his last 12 seasons as a coordinator or head coach, he had 10 units ranked in the top 10 in either yards or points.
Fangio's specialty is disguising coverages, limiting big plays and using post-snap movement to confuse offenses.
Fangio, 65, got his first full-time coaching job in 1984, working under Jim Mora on the USFL Philadelphia Stars staff. Since then, he has had stints with the Saints, Panthers, Colts, Texans, Ravens, 49ers, Bears and Broncos, as well as a brief stint at Stanford.
He was the Broncos' head coach from 2019 to 2021, his only head coaching experience. The Broncos went 19-30 and did not make the playoffs in any of those seasons.
Fangio is the third name associated with the opening. The Eagles have reportedly already interviewed Ron Rivera and Mike Caldwell, both of whom coached here under Andy Reid.
Whoever the Eagles hire will be the team's fourth defensive coordinator in three years. Gannon held the job during the Super Bowl season and Sean Desai held the position for the first 13 games of that year before being replaced by Matt Patricia.
The Eagles ranked 2nd in the NFL in total defense and 1st in pass defense in 2022, but last year they ranked 26th in yards allowed, 30th in points allowed, and 31st in passing yards allowed and 24th in sacks per pass play. 30th in first downs allowed, last in 3rd-down conversions, 23rd in takeaways and 30th in the red zone.
In the final five weeks of the regular season, the Eagles did not get a sack from an edge rusher.
They have allowed 30 or more points eight times, including five times in the last eight games. In the wild-card loss to Tampa and their 20th-ranked offense, the Eagles allowed 32 points and 426 yards.
The Eagles never officially announced Fangio's signing last year, but midway through the season it was revealed that he had joined the team in an advisory role.
“When he came in at the end of the season last year, it was a unique opportunity to have a guy that helped us look at different things the way a defensive coach looks at them,” Sirianni previously said of Fangio in October beat the Dolphins.
“Then Jonathan has the opportunity to influence some of it, and I as head coach have the opportunity to transfer some of it.
“That’s why I really value the relationship I was able to build with coach Fangio. Great person. Great football spirit. … A really good person. Really good coach. Cherish the friendship we have and the time we spent together last year.”
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