Vic Fangio Retirement Rumors Could Create Major Hole in Eagles Defense

The Washington Commanders’ hunt for the NFC East Division title would likely become at least slightly easier if Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio decided to hang up his call sheet and headset, and there seems to be at least a chance that may be happening.

NFL.com digital content producer Bobby Kownack recently wrote about the topic, noting that the Commanders’ division rival has raised questions about whether Fangio, 67, has considered retiring. “While the Fangio situation has been uncertain, it's recently leaned toward his return -- though that could change again -- NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported Sunday. Garafolo added that the team hasn't confirmed or denied anything to this point,” he wrote.

Conflicting reports on Fangio's future

Kownack cites Jimmy Kempski of the Philly Voice as the first to report the situation, citing that the Washington rival has considered other prominent defensive coordinator candidates like Jim Schwartz and Jonathan Gannon, just in case.

In my search for updates, I found a report from John Clark of NBC Sports stating, “Sources confirm that Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is considering retirement.”

Oct 20, 2019; Arlington, TX, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

Potential replacements emerging

Gannon also interviewed for the Commanders’ defensive coordinator job before the team ultimately hired Daronte Jones for the position, and has already accepted the same role for the Green Bay Packers. He had previously been the defensive coordinator in Philadelphia prior to his three-year run as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, making his a logical name to come up in the potential search for a Fangio replacement.

Schwartz is the current defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns, who, reports say, has basically taken the stance of being done working for the franchise after being passed over as their next head coach.

If the Browns were to grant Schwartz permission to interview for and accept another position with a team like the Eagles, that would certainly soften the blow of potentially losing Fangio this deep into the coach-hiring cycle.

Of course, Cleveland could allow Schwartz to seek other employment and require draft-pick compensation from a team looking to hire him to trade for the rights to his remaining contract.

Impact on the 2026 Eagles defense

Just this offseason, Philadelphia lost secondary coach and passing game coordinator Christian Parker to the Dallas Cowboys, who hired him to be their new defensive coordinator, a move that many fans are now pointing to as being a major point of mismanagement if the team knew there was a possibility Fangio might retire.

Of course, it’s entirely possible that Parker simply didn’t want to wait to find out what the veteran coach was going to do, striking his own move while he had the opportunity to do so, and that the Eagles didn’t feel it was the right way to approach things, trying to force Fangio into a decision prematurely.

Regardless, if Fangio does retire, there will be plenty of questions about how stable the Philadelphia defense will be in 2026, and if he returns, many will wonder just how much heart he really has in it.

All good things, potentially, for Washington, as the NFC East waits, along with the Eagles, to find out what one of the best defensive coaches in the league will decide to do.

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