Nick Sirianni, the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach, saved his job this offseason by hiring two new coordinators. However, coming off a season of internal upheaval, it appears that’s exactly why new Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio became available.
After being fired as head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2021, Fangio served as a consultant on the Eagles coaching staff for the 2022 season. He helped the squad during training camp and then signed a two-week deal to help Philadelphia prepare for Super Bowl LVII.
When the Eagles were encouraged to believe that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon would return for the 2023 season, Fangio agreed to become the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator. Despite numerous injuries on that side of the ball, Miami’s defence was among the strongest in the second half of the regular season.
Then, days after Miami was ousted from the NFL playoffs, Fangio and the Dolphins mutually parted ways. Almost immediately, he signed a contract to become the Eagles’ defensive coordinator, replacing Sean Desai and Matt Patricia.
The highly renowned defensive coordinator reportedly departed Miami to be closer to family and because Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel wanted someone with whom he could collaborate more effectively. Now, new information has emerged, showing why the Dolphins were just as eager to make a change as Fangio.
Fangio, the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in 2018, has joined an Eagles team that urgently needs him. The Pennsylvania native, who will be 66 this season, has gotten excellent praise for his defensive mind over the previous decade or two. However, issues arose in Miami.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Fangio was uncooperative with the Miami coaching staff. The Dolphins’ defensive coordinator “insisted” on being the only voice in the room, drowning out everyone around him, including McDonald and Miami’s defensive coaches.
It gradually caused cracks in the locker room. First, according to Breer, Fangio’s teaching style and lack of cooperation “chafed” other Miami coaches. Fangio’s refusal to collaborate with others cost him the backing of some Dolphins defensive players.
| QB Rating allowed | TD-INT | Completion Rate | Rush YPG | EPA per Play | |
| Weeks 1-9 | 99.6 | 14-4 | 69.2% | 106.2 | -0.004 (23rd) |
| Weeks 10-18 | 85.6 | 13-11 | 64.3% | 86.8 | -0.065 (11th) |
While Philadelphia is thrilled to have Fangio’s brains and philosophy in the building, his history of clashes with assistant coaches and players is especially alarming. Even before the Eagles’ late-season collapse, there was finger-pointing in the locker room, and it only got worse down the line, with players criticizing the coaching staff.
Philadelphia’s new defensive coordinator brings another reputation with him. Fangio’s system is one of the most difficult in the NFL, frequently taking players two seasons to completely grasp. The unit is likely to have first-year growing pains, which might be troublesome for a team with a head coach under fire after losing six of its last seven games.
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