Report: Vic Fangio was offered 6 out of 10 DC openings this offseason

Prior to being named the Miami Dolphins’ new defensive coordinator (DC), Vic Fangio reportedly had his pick of many DC positions that were available this offseason.

Dan Pompei of The Athletic offered insight into Fangio and the success he’s enjoyed in the NFL over the past four decades.

“It explains why Fangio was offered six NFL defensive coordinator jobs out of 10 openings this offseason, as well as four last offseason,” wrote Pompei. “And it explains why he is reportedly the highest-paid DC in NFL history.”

Fangio was hired by the Dolphins last month, replacing Josh Boyer who was fired after three seasons in the DC role with the team. Fangio’s hiring came after he had spent the 2022 season as a defensive consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles.

One of the chief reasons why Boyer was let go was because of the fact that the Dolphins finished in the bottom third of points allowed last season. Even worse, the Dolphins finished 30th among 32 teams in the area of forcing turnovers.

In contrast, Fangio’s success has seen his defenses consistently rank among the top 10 teams in the area of least points allowed.

That consistency helps explain why the Denver Broncos hired Fangio as head coach in 2019. Even though that three-year stint ended in disappointment, his efforts on behalf of the Eagles last season helped the team reach the Super Bowl.

The NFL career of Fangio began in 1986, when he followed Jim Mora from the United States Football League to the New Orleans Saints. In nine seasons, Fangio played a key role in boosting the fortunes of the Saints.

That success led to a series of DC positions, including with the expansion Carolina Panthers in 1995 and Houston Texans in 2002. Most notably, he also was part of the San Francisco 49ers’ staff when they reached Super Bowl XLVII.

Fangio’s knack for improving teams has led opposing offenses to try to find holes. That effort tends to get stymied when the veteran coach simply adjusts his approach on a continuing basis.

The Dolphins currently have plenty of talented defenders on their roster and figure to add some more in next month’s draft. Fangio’s efforts to upgrade this unit could very well have a major impact on how well the team does during the 2023 campaign.