The Falcons reportedly interviewed long-time defensive coordinator and former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio on Wednesday for the open defensive coordinator position in Atlanta, according to a report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Fangio spent the 2022 season as a defensive consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fangio's coaching roots run deep as a coaching veteran with over 40 years of experience. He's spent 33 seasons in the NFL. Prior to taking the Broncos head coaching job in 2019 (a position he held until 2021), Fangio was a defensive coordinator in 20 of the previous 24 seasons at the NFL or college level.
Stops along his coaching journey include calling plays for the Bears, 49ers, Texans, Colts, Panthers, Saints and Stanford University.
RELATED CONTENT:
- Falcons positional breakdown: Quarterbacks
- Report: Falcons complete interview with Panthers interim defensive coordinator Al Holcomb
- NFL Mock Draft: Jalen Carter, Bryce Young take atop first round, Falcons find help at edge rusher
- Offseason Checklist Pt. I: Finding a defensive coordinator, prepping for Shrine Bowl, Senior Bowl
Fangio has connections with former Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees. Prior to Pees joining the Baltimore staff in 2010, Fangio spent three years as the special assistant to the head coach/defensive assistant under John Harbaugh when he was hired as the head coach in 2008. Fangio was later promoted to linebackers coach in 2009. Pees took over the job in 2010 when Fangio left Baltimore to join John's brother, Jim Harbaugh, at Stanford. Fangio was the defensive coordinator at Stanford for a year, but left a year later to be the defensive coordinator for the 49ers when Jim Harbaugh took the head coaching job there.
One of the most impressive stints of Fangio's career came when he was with the Chicago Bears. (Another connection to the Falcons: former Bears general manager Ryan Pace is now a senior personnel executive in Atlanta).
Fangio inherited a 30th-ranked defensive unit when he took the defensive coordinator job in 2015. By 2018, Chicago's defense lead the league in forced turnovers and interceptions. The Bears also had the third-ranked defense in total defense, the second-ranked defense in yards per play allowed and were the best in the league in scoring defense.
Fangio was named the Assistant Coach of the Year by the PFWA and Associated Press. He was hired as the Broncos head coach in January of 2019, where he remained for three seasons.
Purchase Group Tickets for the 2023 Atlanta Falcons Season
