Vic Fangio Helped with Super Bowl Prep; Jonathan Gannon Could be on Move
PHOENIX - It was a strange backstory through the entire NFL season in Philadelphia, perhaps so much so that the Eagles finally said why not with Vic Fangio?
According to NFL Media, the veteran defensive coach, regarded as the architect of the scheme Jonathan Gannon and many other NFL teams use, was given a two-week contract by the Eagles to help the team prepare for Patrick Mahomes and the NFL's No. 1 offense in Super Bowl LVII.
And speaking of Gannon, he has emerged as a candidate to be the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. He is reportedly going to interview with them on Monday.
Fangio, a former head coach in Denver, has already agreed to join the Miami Dolphins as their new defensive coordinator for the 2023 season.
Many Eagles fans believed that Fangio was already a consultant for the team due to an erroneous report early in the season that called him a consultant. Pen was never put to paper, however, unlike former Colts offensive coordinator Marcus Brady, who officially signed to be a consultant after he was fired in Indianapolis.
Fangio visited the Eagles in training camp and that's likely where the disconnect began. However, a team source confirmed to SI Eagles Today that nothing formal was ever put together, although relationships were forced and some unofficial communication was going on, similar to Nick Sirianni's relationship with now-Carolina head coach Frank Reich.
Fangio signed a two-week deal to help that expires after Super Bowl LVII against Kansas City on Sunday. He will then join Mike McDaniel with the Dolphins as the highest-paid coordinator in football.
The short-term move again highlights that Jeffrey Lurie will provide every available asset to help Sirianni and his staff finish the deal.
When Fangio was the head coach in Denver, however, his teams went 0-6 against the Chiefs, allowing an average of 28 points per game.
As for Gannon, one NFL source called him the favorite over Cincinnati Bengals DC Lou Anamuro for the job.
The timing of the Cardinals waiting until after the Super Bowl pointed toward an interest in someone on one of the two Super Bowl staffs and that's coming to fruition.
The connection is new Cards GM Monti Ossenfort, who Gannon is close with. Ossenfort was not in place during the wild-card week when the team would have been permitted to interview Gannon. Only second interviews were allowed during the Super Bowl bye week so Arizona had to wait.
Gannon declared he was coming back to Philadelphia after losing out to DeMeco Ryans for the Houston Texans job.
The Eagles' DC was the choice of Nick Caserio with the Texans but ownership overruled the Houston GM and shifted that search toward Ryans, the former San Francisco GM who was once a very popular player with the Texans' organization.
If Gannon does leave, the timing is not the best for Philadelphia because Fangio would have been in the mix to replace him.
DB coach Dennard Wilson could be in line to replace Gannon if he were to go.
Eagles' offensive coordinator Shane Steichen is also still in play for the Indianapolis head-coaching job, although news there had gone silent as wild card owner Jim Irsay mulls things over.
Steichen, though, is now emerging as the favorite as well for the Colts' job, per NFL Media.
The most likely assistant to leave with Gannon would be linebackers coach Nick Rallis. Steichen's choices would either be passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo or assistant offensive line coach Roy Istvan.
Brian Johnson, who Reich has his eye on as the OC in Carolina, would likely be promoted to the OC job in Philadelphia by Sirianni. Jalen hurts is very close and comfortable with Johnson.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
