The Eagles Coach Who Loves A View

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio likes calling the game upstairs for a reason.

Eagles DC Vic Fangio before practice on Aug. 5, 2024 / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA - Veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will call the Eagles’ defense from the press box this season, something Nick Sirianni discussed before Sunday’s practice.

For those familiar with Fangio’s lengthy career that should come as no surprise.

The well-regarded defensive mind prefers the view the booth provides although there is some give-and-take when it comes to getting the feel for the players and the game on the sidelines.

“No. 1 it’s the best view,” Fangio said before practice on Monday. “I can see what’s happening and I don’t have to rely on other people to tell me what’s happening and there is a reason they film the game from up there in the booth either to the right or left of me.”

That perch and live view of what’s unfolding is more important to Fangio than being hands-on with immediate messaging.

“It’s fine. All of the position coaches will be down on the field and any communication I have to make to the players will come through them and I have confidence that that will be seamless,” the DC said.

Sirianni had his first serious run-through when it comes to communication with his new coordinators, Fangio and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, during last Thursday’s open practice at Lincoln Financial Field where nearly 50,000 fans attended.

“The more we can get over there and do things like that and even simulate that over here at practice, which we will, is good for us,” Sirianni told Eagles on SI. “We're going to be able to do that again Thursday {for a walkthrough before Friday’s preseason opener at Baltimore].”

Sirianni has always placed great importance on getting the gameday operation down long before the real bullets are flying.

“That is always such a good operation to be able to go through. Kellen calling the personnel, the coaches reacting to it, Vic being upstairs as the defense goes,” Sirianni said. “You know, just the communication between Kellen and I of, ‘Hey, here is what I'm thinking on fourth down,’ you know, as far as us going for it.

“‘Hey, how does that look on third down,’ and just being in that -- clicking over and say, ‘Hey, [Special Teams Coordinator] Coach [Michael] Clay, here is what I'm thinking on fourth down.’”

Practice isn’t just for the players, according to Sirianni.

“So, you can't get enough of that, that type of practice for us,” the coach said. “I'm not even to the players yet. That kind of practice for us is what we do during the game, right? And so, for the coaches it's outstanding.”

For Fangio, meanwhile, his way may be new to Philadelphia but his process arrives battle-tested.

“My most important job on game day is to call the game and I need to have the best view and I don’t have to rely on others to get me a bunch of information,” the veteran coach said.

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