Nick Gets Vic
Report: Birds Move Fast To Hire Fangio As DC
The search for one of the Eagles’ new two coordinators is over.
Vic Fangio, whose defensive concepts have become the template for many defenses around the NFL, will be the Eagles’ next defensive coordinator, per ESPN.
Former Dolphins’ defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is traveling to Philadelphia this morning to officially sign the contract to become the Eagles’ new defensive coordinator, per league source. Eagles officially get their man. pic.twitter.com/jnBBTkhvas
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 25, 2024
Fangio spent the 2023 season as Dolphins’ defensive coordinator before the team announced Thursday that Miami and Fangio had “mutually parted ways.”
GETTY IMAGES: Vic Fangio will be the Eagles’ next DC.
Fangio replaces Sean Desai, who was hired last offseason to replace Jonathan Gannon, who left after two seasons to become Arizona Cardinals head coach.
Desai had his play-calling duties taken away after a 33-13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys dropped the Eagles to 10-3. Senior assistant Matt Patricia took over play calling, and the Eagles went 1-4 before losing 32-9 to the Buccaneers in an NFC Wild Card game.
Fangio, a Pennsylvania native, was Denver Broncos head coach from 2018-2021 and spent 2022 as an adviser to the Eagles, who went 13-4 and reached the Super Bowl.
At the time, Gannon was one of several NFL defensive coordinators running a Fangio-style defense. The Eagles had planned to make Fangio their coordinator if Gannon had left for a head coaching job, but Gannon’s opportunity in Arizona didn’t come until after Fangio had already decided to leave for the Miami post.
The Dolphins finished 10th in total defense, but 22nd in scoring defense, despite a rash of injuries to some of their best players.
Fangio has also served as the defensive coordinator for the Panthers (1995-1998), Colts (1999-2001), Texans (2002-2005), 49ers (2011-2014), and Bears (2015-2018).
Ten times in his 23 seasons as coordinator or coach has Fangio’s defense finished top-10 in total defense or scoring defense. He won Assistant Coach of The Year in 2018, as the Bears won the NFC North title thanks mostly to the league’s top-ranked scoring defense.
Brian Johnson Interview
Former Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, who along with Desai was fired recently as the Eagles reshape their coaching staff, could find the same job quickly elsewhere.
Per Cleveland.com, Johnson has an interview Friday with the Browns, who also made several coaching staff changes after the season, including the firing of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Breaking: Former <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Eagles?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Eagles</a> OC Brian Johnson scheduled to interview today for the <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Browns?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Browns</a> OC vacancy</p>— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) <a href=”https://twitter.com/MaryKayCabot/status/1750509365478437084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>January 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Johnson had also interviewed with the Titans for their head coaching vacancy, but that job was filled by Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.
– Geoff Mosher (@geoffmoshernfl) is co-host of the “Inside the Birds” podcast and staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.
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