Dolphins Land Fangio as DC
The Miami Dolphins got their man to run their defense.
The team has agreed to terms with highly regarded defensive mind Vic Fangio to become their new defensive coordinator, as first reported by NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero and confirmed by a league source.
Fangio will be getting a three-year contract with a fourth-team team option, per Pelissero.
Fangio was expected to be in high demand for defensive coordinator openings after spending the 2022 season as a consultant with the Philadelphia Eagles. News of Fangio's hiring broke shortly before the Eagles were set to face the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.
The Dolphins interviewed at least four candidates for the position, with the other confirmed candidates including Sean Desai, Kris Richard and current Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile.
Fangio replaces Josh Boyer, who was fired last week after serving as Dolphins DC the past three seasons after replacing Patrick Graham in 2020.
Boyer was retained by the Dolphins last year after they hired Mike McDaniel as head coach, though word was that McDaniel wanted to bring in Fangio last year.
Now he got his guy.
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FANGIO'S IMPRESSIVE NFL RESUME
Before he was a consultant with the Eagles and head coach of the Denver Broncos from 2019-21, Fangio served as a defensive coordinator in the NFL for 19 years with five different teams — the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears.
His defenses have finished in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed eight times, including his last season as a DC with the Bears in 2018 when they were third.
In May 2022, The Athletic called Fangio "the most influential DC in modern NFL" and broke down his system, which features two deep safeties and a lot of pre-snap disguising, among other things.
In a 2019 ESPN story, former McDaniel colleagues Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur and Kyle Shanahan all were asked to name the coach with the toughest defense to read and attack. All three named Fangio.
DOLPHINS DCs THROUGH THE YEARS
Fangio becomes the 17th different coach hired as defensive coordinator, including Bill Arnsparger, who had two stints, and Lou Anarumo, who was an interim DC in 2015 after replacing Kevin Coyle early in the season.
Fangio is the fourth former NFL head coach (not including interim posts) hired as Dolphins defensive coordinator following Bill Arnsparger in 1976, Dom Capers in 2006 and Mike Nolan in 2010.
THE COMPLETE LIST
1970-73 — Bill Arnsparger
1974 — Vince Costello
1976-83 — Bill Arnsparger
1984-86 — Chuck Studley
1987-95 — Tom Olivadotti
1996-99 — George Hill
2000-04 — Jim Bates
2005 — Richard Smith
2006-07 — Dom Capers
2008-09 — Paul Pasqualoni
2010-11 — Mike Nolan
2012-15 — Kevin Coyle
2016 — Vance Joseph
2017-18 — Matt Burke
2019 — Patrick Graham
2020-22 — Josh Boyer
2023 — Vic Fangio
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