Vic Fangio was an NFL assistant coach for 32 seasons and served as the defensive coordinator for five teams before he was named the new head coach of the Broncos after the 2018 season. The 60-year-old was well-deserving of that promotion. He also is worthy of his long overdue recognition as Sporting News Coordinator of the Year.
Fangio has gained great respect around the league as one of the game’s best 3-4 defensive play-callers. Appropriately, he receives this recognition based on voting from his coaching peers.
Fangio had some solid groups with the Panthers, Colts, Texans and 49ers over the years. But his work with Khalil Mack and the Bears in 2018, during the biggest offensive season in NFL history, was most impressive.
Chicago ranked No. 1 in scoring defense, No. 3 in total defense, No. 1 in run defense and No. 7 in pass defense. The Bears also led the league with 27 interceptions and 36 total takeaways. With Mack contributing 12.5 sacks, they also finished tied for No. 2 with 50 in that category.
Fangio's defense did its job in the wild-card playoff round against the Eagles, but the frustrating loss came with the silver lining of Fangio being available to be hired by John Elway in Denver. While most of the league’s other coaching openings were filled by young offensive hotshots, Fangio stood out as the best, experienced man for the Broncos job.
Like Fangio, Bruce Arians, Todd Bowles, Sean McDermott and Kyle Shanahan are all recent winners of the award who became NFL head coaches. Fangio is the second-oldest recipient of SN coordinator of the year after 63-year-old Wade Phillips won as Texans DC in 2011. Arians also was 60 when he won as Colts OC/interim head coach in 2012.
Fangio came close to winning a Super Bowl while working with Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers six years ago. Now Fangio steps into the role Phillips once held for the Broncos. He will continue to call defensive plays, trading Mack for edge pass-rushing studs Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.
Had the Broncos not fired John Fox four years ago, the Bears would not have been able to hire him in 2015. Fox is the one who brought Fangio to Chicago from San Francisco, and when Fox was fired last year, Matt Nagy was smart to retain Fangio.
Go figure — it was that move that helped get Fangio SN coordinator of the year, and then got him to Denver.
Coordinator of the Year voting results
1. Vic Fangio, DC, Bears
T2. Eric Bieniemy, OC, Chiefs
T2. John Fassel, STC, Rams
T2. Matt Eberflus, DC, Colts
