History has proven that winning in the NFL can come with a price. Among the toughest is possibly losing a top coach on the staff to greater opportunities elsewhere. The Chicago Bears aren’t unfamiliar with it. They lost Buddy Ryan to Philadelphia after the Super Bowl in 1985. Adam Gase left after just one year, during which he got the best season Jay Cutler ever had as a Bear. Now it seems the vultures are circling another. This being Vic Fangio.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. He just oversaw the #1 defense in the NFL for 2018. A unit that is drawing rave reviews from across the league for its balanced dominance in all phases. Stop the run? Best in the league. Taking the ball away? Best in the league. They can do it all and he’s widely viewed as the mastermind behind everything.
This sort of success was bound to draw the attention of other teams in need of a new head coach. The common theme in these situations is seeking out the best assistant from winning teams and stealing them. Fangio is the hottest name out there. There are a few misgivings though. Chief among them being he turns 61 this year.
Would a team actually hire him despite being considerably older than normal for new head coaches?
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Vic Fangio viewed as an ideal fit for what Denver Broncos seek
Scotty Payne of SB Nation has covered the Denver Broncos extensively for years. He’s seen them go through multiple head coaching changes dating back to 2011 when they first hired John Fox. He’s seen this process play out before and believes VP John Elway has a certain type he seeks when identifying a head coach. Based on how he lays it out, it would appear nobody fits the bill better than Fangio.
Elway said he he wants “them great on one side of the ball” and said he was looking for experience, someone who understands the game, and the ability to lead men.
“I want them to be great on one side of the ball and great at what they do—whatever that position that may be—whether it be a coordinator or whatever they’ve done. I look for greatness on that side. For me, I look for experience. I want the guys that understand the game, they understand Xs and Os but also have the ability to lead men. That’s a big part of it in today’s world. Those are two things that I look for, and there are guys we have feel for. I think there are a lot of things that go into a head coach that it’s a feel thing. We’re going to try to find that guy with that ‘it’ factor, that can make those right decisions and also lead men. We’re confident that we can find that guy.”
All these qualities fit Fangio.
It’s true. Fangio has been a superb defensive coordinator for years. He’s beloved by his players and has produced top 10 defenses almost everywhere he’s been. Peers laud him both for his leadership and ability to teach. These are all attributes that make for successful head coaches. It isn’t clear why teams haven’t pounced on him sooner, but his stock is the highest it’s ever been.
There is also one other key factor in play.
Hiring Fangio, a defensive specialist would leave the door open for the Broncos to bring back Gary Kubiak as their offensive coordinator in 2019. Something that was rumored to be a desire for them. While the two have never worked together before, it’s not hard to see Fangio being open to the idea.
Kubiak is an experienced and proven mind who produced top 10 offenses a total of 13 times as an offensive coordinator and head coach since 1995. The idea of pairing his offensive system with a Fangio-coached defense must sound appealing to just about anybody.