Schefter: Vic Fangio to officially be named Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator after Super Bowl

After days of speculation, the Miami Dolphins have officially locked up defensive coordinator Vic Fangio according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal was first reported on January 29^th by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, but with nothing made official and no other outlets confirming the report, Dolphins fans became weary.

We can now all rest easy. The Dolphins got their man.

Fangio, 64, will officially join Mike McDaniel’s coaching staff after the Philadelphia Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. Fangio joined Nick Sirianni’s staff at some point throughout the season to be a defensive consultant with the team, helping Jonathan Gannon and the Eagles' defense soar to new heights. He will now look to do the same in Miami.

If the terms of Pelissero’s initial report are true, Miami will have agreed to a three-year deal with Fangio making him one of the highest-paid assistants in football. The team also had a fourth-year option, which could keep Fangio around through the 2026 season.

In my opinion, this is a whale of a hire for Mike McDaniel, who didn’t really have a chance to pick his defensive coordinator last season. Sure, he was probably told he could decide on Josh Boyer’s fate, but the team clearly wanted to run it back with a familiar face. Now, they get one of the best defensive minds in football — a head coach of the defense — in Fangio to turn things around.

Here’s a little bit more about Fangio’s history, thanks to Kevin.

Fangio served as a defensive consultant with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 season. Prior to that, he spent three seasons with the Broncos, leading them to a 19-30 record from 2019 through 2021. Prior to taking the Broncos top spot, he worked as a defensive coordinator with the Chicago Bears (2015-2018), San Francisco 49ers (2011-2014), Stanford (2010), Houston Texans (2002-2005), Indianapolis Colts (1999-2001), and Carolina Panthers (1995-198). He has also worked as a defensive assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens (special assistant to the head coach/defensive assistant and linebackers coach 2006-2009) and New Orleans Saints (linebacker coach 1986-1994). He also has coaching experience with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the USFL (1984-185).

Vic Fangio plays a very different style of defense than what the Dolphins have become accustomed to. Miami will (likely) be switching to a 3-4 under Fangio, and you will almost certainly see more zone coverage than years prior. His defenses are designed to look similar pre-snap but very different post, with two-high safeties being a staple. Versatility is also key, which should be perfectly suited for some of Miami’s top defensive players.

We will break down more of Fangio’s defense and how it fits Miami’s roster throughout the offseason, but for now, I think we should all sit back, relax, and exhale. Pelissero and Schefter are rarely wrong. The Dolphins got their man — or at least they will, once Super Bowl LVII wraps.

What are your thoughts on the Vic Fangio hire? Do you think switching to a 3-4 is a bad thing? Is this the best groundhog day you have ever had? Which player do you think will benefit most from Fangio’s arrival? Let us know in the comments section below!