Broncos reach agreement to make Bears DC Fangio its next head coach
Jan 9, 2019, 10:12 AM | Updated: 10:48 am
The Denver Broncos have reached an agreement with Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to become the team’s next head coach, per a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Dan Graziano.
Fangio, whom the Broncos interviewed in the Chicago area on Monday, will have a four-year deal with a fifth-year team option, per the report.
After spending nearly four decades in coach — including 32 years in the NFL and 19 serving as a defensive coordinator — Fangio will be assuming a head coaching role for the first time ever at any level — college, pro, or otherwise.
Coming off leading the Bears to the NFL’s top-ranked scoring defense, giving up just 17.7 points per game, Fangio beat out Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak for the job. Munchak, at times during the past week, had been the frontrunner for the job.
Denver also interviewed New England Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor, and former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano before settling on Fangio.
Fangio takes over for the recently dismissed Vance Joseph, also a first-time head coach, following an 11-21 record during his two-year tenure with the team.
With the move, Broncos general manager John Elway has now hired four head coaches during his tenure as an executive with the club — John Fox (2011), Gary Kubiak (2015), Joseph (2017), and now Fangio (2019).
Fox and the Broncos mutually parted ways after the 2015 season while Kubiak stepped down for health reasons.
Kubiak returned to the organization as a senior personnel adviser in July 2017 and could see a return to the sideline in some capacity with the Broncos this season.
In his 19 seasons as a defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, Colts, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, and Bears, Fangio led his defenses to top-10 rankings in points against and yards given up on eight occasions.
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