Vic Fangio

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
37 313-280-1 52.78% 11-16 40.74%

Coaching Tree

Parents:

Brian Billick, Dom Capers, John Fox, John Harbaugh, Jim E. Mora (Sr.), Jim Harbaugh, Matt Nagy

Children:

Brandon Staley

Biography

Career Summary

Vic Fangio is a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) and has been the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins since 2023. Prior to this season, he coached for the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, and Philadelphia Eagles for thirty-six seasons. His most recent position was with the Eagles as their consultant. He was the head coach of the Denver Broncos from 2019 until the 2021 season, during which time the Broncos went 19-30-0. During his career he was a head coach for three seasons. He was fired from the Broncos on Sunday, January 9, 2022. Fangio will be the new defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2024 season.

Vic Fangio Coaching Tree

Before he was a head coach, Fangio served as an assistant coach for Jim E. Mora (Sr.), Dom Capers, Brian Billick, John Harbaugh, Jim Harbaugh, John Fox, Matt Nagy, Nick Sirianni, and Mike McDaniel. Twelve of these years were spent on Mora (Sr.)'s coaching staff. One assistant coach from his coaching staffs, Brandon Staley, was eventually hired as a head coach. He is the current head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. After coaching with Vic Fangio he has posted a 24-24-0 record during the regular season and 0-1 in the playoffs as head coach.

Personal Information

Fangio was born on Friday, August 22, 1958 in Dunmore, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

High School Coaching

Vic Fangio started his coaching career at Dunmore High School in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, a school near his alma mater of East Stroudsburg University. He was linebackers coach for one season before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 1980. After two seasons as defensive coordinator, he moved to Milford Academy New Berlin, New York to serve as their defensive coordinator. Fangio coached at Milford for one season before making the jump to collegiate football.

Pre-NFL Coaching

Fangio took his first college position at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During his only season there, he was a graduate assistant for the Tar Heels. The following season, Fangio moved to professional football, serving as the defensive assistant coach for the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League (USFL). During his second season with the Stars, the team moved from Philadelphia to Baltimore, becoming the Baltimore Stars. Though the Stars won the USFL championship, the league folded after the 1985 season, and Fangio was on the move again. He took his first NFL position as a linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints in 1986.

NFL Coaching Career

New Orleans Saints

Fangio spent nine seasons (1986-1995) working with the Saints’ linebackers. In his second season, the team made the playoffs for the first time in team history (also their first-ever winning record), but lost in the first playoff game. Under head coach Jim E. Mora (Sr.), the team continued to have success, going 84-68, but once again failing to win a playoff game. Fangio coached the “Dome Patrol,” a collection of All-Pro linebackers: Rickey Jackson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson. This group later was voted the greatest linebacker unity in NFL history.

Carolina Panthers

Fangio’s success with the Saints led to a promotion. When the league added the Carolina Panthers in 1995, head coach Dom Capers hired Fangio to lead the defense. Capers and Fangio had worked together during their time with the Saints, when Capers was the defensive backs coach. The Panthers experienced quick success as they posted the record for most wins by an expansion team. In their second season, behind a stout defense, the Panthers advanced to the NFC Championship game. Fangio’s defense was ranked second in scoring defense in the league and allowed a record 56 points after halftime for the entire season. Fangio’s superb work with linebackers continued as the defense featured three All-Pro linebackers: Sam Mills, Kevin Greene, and Lamar Lathon.

Indianapolis Colts

After his short, but successful, stint with the Panthers, Fangio took a job with the Indianapolis Colts. In his first season with the Colts (1999), the team won their first divisional title in 15 years behind a dramatically improved defense. However, Fangio’s stay with the Colts was short, and after the 2001 season, he moved once again.

Houston Texans

Fangio worked with Capers again on another expansion franchise, the Houston Texans, as a defensive coordinator. However, the team didn’t have the success Fangio and Capers shared with the Panthers; in four seasons, they failed to have a winning record. With a new head coach coming in, Fangio found work with the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore Ravens

In 2006, Fangio took a role as Special Assistant to the Head Coach for the Ravens. He worked primarily on the defensive side of the ball, helping the Ravens’ defense continue to be highly ranked. In Fangio’s four seasons with the Ravens, the team had three seasons ranked in the top three defenses in the league. Fangio had an abundance of defensive talent to work with during his time with the Ravens, highlighted by former defensive players of the year Ray Lewis (LB) and Ed Reed (FS) and future defensive player of the year Terrell Suggs (LB). In 2009, his final season with the team, Fangio added to his duties by becoming a linebackers coach.


Working with Jim Harbaugh

Stanford Cardinal

In 2010, Fangio returned to college football for one season at Stanford University. Working as both defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, Fangio brought the Cardinal defense up to be one of the best in the nation. This was a stark difference from the previous season, in which the defense was routinely beat on long plays and was a main reason for settling with an 8-5 record.

San Francisco 49ers

When head coach Jim Harbaugh left Stanford University, Fangio followed him back to the NFL, taking the position of defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. Fangio’s mastery of defenses continued as the 49ers’ ranked first or second in many key defensive categories from year-year. The team underwent a dramatic turnaround, from 6-10 in 2010 to 13-3 and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game in 2011.

The team sustained this success over the next two seasons as the 49ers went 23-8-1 only to lose in the Super Bowl in 2012, and once again make it to the NFC Championship Game in 2013. The 49ers defense continued to the top in many defensive categories during this run, including points allowed, rush defense, and first downs allowed. Fangio's defense boasted both All-Pros or Pro Bowlers at all levels in each of his first three seasons.

However, 2014 presented struggles for the 49ers. The team had an 8-8 season and missed the playoffs for the first time with Fangio as their defensive coordinator. The offense struggled for most of the season while injuries affected the defense. Despite these injuries, Fangio still maintained success with his defense ranking 5th in total yards allowed.

Chicago Bears

Beginning with the 2015 season, Fangio was hired by the Chicago Bears as their defensive coordinator.

History

Year Position Record Playoff record
2023 Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator 11-6-0 0-1
2022 Philadelphia Eagles Consultant 14-3-0 2-1
2021 Denver Broncos Head Coach 7-10-0 0-0
2020 Denver Broncos Head Coach 5-11-0 0-0
2019 Denver Broncos Head Coach 7-9-0 0-0
2018 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator 12-4-0 0-1
2017 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator 5-11-0 0-0
2016 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator 3-13-0 0-0
2015 Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator 6-10-0 0-0
2014 San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator 8-8-0 0-0
2013 San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator 12-4-0 2-1
2012 San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator 11-4-1 2-1
2011 San Francisco 49ers Defensive Coordinator 13-3-0 1-1
2009 Baltimore Ravens Special Assistant to the Head Coach 9-7-0 1-1
2008 Baltimore Ravens Special Assistant to the Head Coach 11-5-0 2-1
2007 Baltimore Ravens Special Assistant to the Head Coach 5-11-0 0-0
2006 Baltimore Ravens Special Assistant to the Head Coach 13-3-0 0-1
2005 Houston Texans Defensive Coordinator 2-14-0 0-0
2004 Houston Texans Defensive Coordinator 7-9-0 0-0
2003 Houston Texans Defensive Coordinator 5-11-0 0-0
2002 Houston Texans Defensive Coordinator 4-12-0 0-0
2001 Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator 6-10-0 0-0
2000 Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator 10-6-0 0-1
1999 Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator 13-3-0 0-1
1998 Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator 4-12-0 0-0
1997 Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator 7-9-0 0-0
1996 Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator 12-4-0 1-1
1995 Carolina Panthers Defensive Coordinator 7-9-0 0-0
1994 New Orleans Saints Linebackers Coach 7-9-0 0-0
1993 New Orleans Saints Outside Linebackers Coach 8-8-0 0-0
1992 New Orleans Saints Outside Linebackers Coach 12-4-0 0-1
1991 New Orleans Saints Outside Linebackers Coach 11-5-0 0-1
1990 New Orleans Saints Outside Linebackers Coach 8-8-0 0-1
1989 New Orleans Saints Outside Linebackers Coach 9-7-0 0-0
1988 New Orleans Saints Outside Linebackers Coach 10-6-0 0-0
1987 New Orleans Saints Outside Linebackers Coach 12-3-0 0-1
1986 New Orleans Saints Linebackers Coach 7-9-0 0-0

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

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