Eagles hire Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator after Dolphins exit: ‘Brilliant defensive mind.

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Vic Fangio’s sudden transition from the Dolphins to the Eagles as defensive coordinator has become official.

Philadelphia announced the hire three days after Fangio and Miami mutually parted ways following one season together, with the longtime coordinator and former Broncos head coach immediately emerging as the top candidate to replace Sean Desai on Nick Sirianni’s staff.

“Vic’s reputation obviously speaks for itself,” Sirianni said in a statement. “He’s a brilliant defensive mind who has coached at a very high level in this league for many years. In my time spent with Vic, I’ve seen firsthand what makes him such a great coach—his tremendous knowledge of the game, passion, and work ethic.

“I’m excited for our coaches and players to be able to learn from him and see it for themselves.”

Fangio will be tasked with fixing an Eagles unit that allowed the second-fewest yards per game and the eighth-fewest points per game in 2022, but in 2023, those rankings dipped to 26th and 30th, respectively.

Vic Fangio and the Dolphins mutually parted ways after one season together.
Vic Fangio and the Dolphins mutually parted ways after one season together.
AP
The Eagles lost five of their final six games to close the regular season, and then in the wild-card round, they were crushed by the Buccaneers, 32-9, as Baker Mayfield threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns.

Desai remained defensive coordinator during the end-of-season turmoil, but Matt Patricia, the ex-Lions head coach and former Patriots defensive coordinator during their later Super Bowl runs, took over play-calling duties.

The Eagles also reportedly had interest in former Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, while they also interviewed ex-Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry, ex-Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, and ex-Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell, according to various reports.

Nick Sirianni and the Eagles lost six of their final seven games, including a wild-card defeat in the playoffs.
Nick Sirianni and the Eagles lost six of their final seven games, including a wild-card defeat in the playoffs.
AP
But Philadelphia’s front office might’ve already had their top candidate in mind, as ESPN reported Wednesday that Fangio and the Eagles had interest in working together in 2023—a situation where “timing didn’t work.”

“I want to thank Vic for his contributions in 2023,” head coach Mike McDaniel said in a statement Wednesday. “When we assessed the season, it became apparent that this was the best path forward for all parties involved.

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“Now, we turn our focus to 2024 and beyond with urgency as we identify the best candidate to lead our defense moving forward. We remain steadfastly committed to the development of our players and to building a winning team with sustained success.”

The Dolphins’ defense dealt with a brutal stretch of injuries near the end of the season, losing Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Jerome Baker, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jevon Holland, and Xavien Howard at various points leading up to their wild-card loss to the Chiefs.