It was reported recently that Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is mulling retirement. He’s been around the NFL for 25 years and is now 67. His departure would be a massive blow to an Eagles team that has excelled defensively over the past two seasons under Fangio.
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In Vangio’s first season, the defense ranked 1st in total defense and 2nd in scoring defense. Last year, the defense struggled early, but by midseason, they allowed an NFL-low 14.3 points per game after the bye week. He’s clearly doing things right, and the team won’t want him gone.
When former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy analyzed the situation, he also admitted that losing Fangio would hurt. However, he also noted that the Eagles’ defense is full of studs and should be able to perform next season without skipping a beat. He didn’t want to downplay the coaching but also didn’t want to disrespect the players already on the team.
“We’re definitely going to miss him if he decides to retire. But on that end, the players we have on defense, coaching matters for sure. But with the players we have, I’m not going to be surprised if they go out there and still dominate the same way,” McCoy said during an episode of the Speakeasy podcast.
This past season, the Eagles had four defensive players make the Pro Bowl, and two were selected to the All-Pro first team. They are loaded with elite talent capable of taking over a game and making life miserable for opposing offenses. Players like Zack Baun, Cooper DeJean, Quinyon Mitchell, and Jalen Carter lead the way.
That’s why McCoy had no issue saying what he said about Fangio. He knows Fangio is an excellent coach who’s been around the game forever. At the same time, though, he doesn’t believe Fangio’s presence will make or break the Eagles’ defense.
McCoy also mentioned that there could be a quality replacement ready behind Fangio should he retire.
“But you know who I do like? Jim Schwartz. You bring him back over there to Philadelphia. I’m not trying to compare him and Vic, but I think he’s really, really good,” McCoy said.
Schwartz was with the Cleveland Browns this past season and helped coach one of the best defensive units in football. After it was reported that the team was hiring Todd Monken as the new head coach, Schwartz was reportedly disgruntled and told his staff that he would be leaving. Recent reports indicate a reconciliation is possible, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him pack his bags and head elsewhere.
Should Fangio retire, Schwartz would be an excellent replacement in Philly. He was actually the defensive coordinator for the Eagles when they won their first Super Bowl in 2017, giving him a proven track record in the building.
But Schwartz ultimately seems more interested in a head coaching role at the moment. It’s been 13 years since he was in charge of the Detroit Lions, during which he went 29-51 over five seasons.
We’ll keep tabs on Fangio and track his retirement. For now, though, he remains the Eagles’ DC and is one of the highest-paid non-head coaches in the NFL.
