Is it time to stop worrying about whether the Miami Dolphins will get Vic Fangio to sign as their defensive coordinator?
It looks like it.
Fangio, who has spent this NFL season as a defensive consultant with the Philadelphia Eagles, will officially accept the role with the Dolphins after the Super Bowl, according to an ESPN report Thursday. Fangio and the Eagles are participating in the Super Bowl on Feb. 12 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
After news broke Sunday that the experienced, coveted defensive-minded coach was joining the Dolphins — first reported by NFL Network and then confirmed by the South Florida Sun Sentinel and others — various other reports said it wasn’t a done deal. Direct conversations with Fangio were cited with him saying he hadn’t made a final decision.
In the days since, the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator job became open with DeMeco Ryans accepting the Houston Texans’ head coaching role and Sean Payton, whom Fangio was linked to, reached an agreement with the Denver Broncos.
Fangio, 64, a top defensive coordinator candidate this coach hiring cycle, was reportedly in the mix with the 49ers and others.
“After speaking with multiple teams about their defensive coordinator position, Vic Fangio has decided to join the Dolphins as their defensive coordinator and officially will accept the position on the Miami staff after the Super Bowl,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted Thursday morning.
The deal the Dolphins have in place with Fangio is set to make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive coordinator, according to the original NFL Network report, which said it’s a three-year contract with a team option for a fourth.
Fangio was a coveted option to lead Miami’s defense for coach Mike McDaniel back when he took the head coach position early last offseason, but previous defensive coordinator Josh Boyer was retained for the 2022 season and then fired Jan. 19.
Fangio beat out a list of candidates that also included Seattle Seahawks associate head coach/defensive assistant Sean Desai, New Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Kris Richard — who has since been relieved of that role — and the Dolphins’ own internal candidate, linebackers coach Anthony Campanile. The four candidates interviewed between Wednesday and Friday of last week.
Before joining the Eagles this season, Fangio was head coach of the Broncos from 2019 to 2021. In Denver, he had now-Dolphins edge rusher Bradley Chubb on his defense those three seasons.
Fangio has a lengthy résumé as an NFL defensive coordinator: Chicago Bears from 2015 to 2018 — where he was also named AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in his final season — 49ers from 2011 to 2014 (a stretch that included deep playoff runs and even a Super Bowl appearance leading great defenses), Houston Texans for their first four seasons in franchise history from 2002 to 2005, the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2001 and the Carolina Panthers from their inaugural season in 1995 through 1998.
Before reaching the coordinator ranks, he was a longtime New Orleans Saints linebackers coach from 1986 through 1994. He also had stints as a defensive assistant for tough Baltimore Ravens defenses from 2006 to 2009 before coordinating the Stanford University defense in 2010 and following Jim Harbaugh to the 49ers.
