Miami Dolphins name Fangio defensive coordinator
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February 15, 2023
Miami Dolphins name Fangio defensive coordinator
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today named veteran NFL coach Vic Fangio defensive coordinator.
Fangio has 36 years of NFL coaching experience and has spent 22 of the past 28 seasons as either an NFL head coach or defensive coordinator. He has coached three Hall of Fame players – linebacker Kevin Greene, linebacker Rickey Jackson and linebacker Ray Lewis – along with the 1991 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker Pat Swilling. Fangio has coached 29 players who have a combined 48 Pro Bowl selections.
As the defensive play-caller for San Francisco (2011-14), Chicago (2015-18) and Denver (2019-21), Fangio led top 10 scoring defenses in eight of his past 11 seasons. He also led top 10 total defenses in seven of his past 11 seasons as a full-time coach.
Fangio was named AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in 2018 as his Bears defense led the league in scoring (17.7 points allowed per game) and was third in total defense (299.7 yards allowed per game). From 2011 to 2013, the 49ers finished top three in scoring defense each season.
He has helped seven different organizations reach the postseason 15 times.
Fangio most recently served as a consultant with the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 playoffs. He was previously the head coach of the Denver Broncos from 2019-21. In his final season in Denver (2021), the Broncos were third in scoring defense (18.9) and eighth in total defense (326.1). They led the NFL in red zone defense in both 2019 (39.1) and 2020 (47.5) and finished third in the category in 2021 (50.0). The Broncos were top five in the NFL in fewest defensive penalties in both 2020 (T-3rd, 30) and 2021 (T-2nd, 25).
Prior to being a head coach, Fangio served as a defensive coordinator for five different NFL franchises – Chicago (2015-18), San Francisco (2011-14), Houston (2002-05), Indianapolis (1999-2001) and Carolina (1995-98). He also was the defensive coordinator for Stanford University’s Orange Bowl season in 2010 and served multiple roles on Baltimore’s staff from 2006-09.
Fangio’s first NFL position was linebackers coach for nine seasons (1986-94) for New Orleans. He also spent time as a defensive assistant for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the USFL from 1984-85 and was a graduate assistant at the University of North Carolina in 1983. Fangio began his coaching career at Dunmore (Pa.) High School as linebackers coach in 1979 before being promoted to defensive coordinator from 1980-81 and assuming the same position at Milford (Conn.) Academy in 1982.
Fangio was inducted into the Northeast Pennsylvania Hall of Fame in 1993. He’s a graduate of East Stroudsburg University.
