Vic Fangio joins Miami Dolphins making him highest-paid defensive coordinator in NFL

The Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms with Vic Fangio to make him their new defensive coordinator, according to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero. The deal puts Fangio as the highest-paid defensive coordinator in the league.

Fangio signed a three-year deal with a team option to extend for a fourth season. He was the most coveted assistant in the league to join the staff as the defensive coordinator following his excellent job with the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears in this position.

Most recently, he was the head coach of the Denver Broncos, a position he held from 2019 to 2021. He also consulted with the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 season and was one of the candidates to take over the defensive coordinator role in Philadelphia, provided that Jonathan Gannon becomes a head coach for another team.

He's is one of the greatest defensive minds in the NFL and his hiring is a huge boost for the Miami Dolphins. The franchise fired Josh Boyer after the end of the season following some dismal performances by his unit, ranked as one of the worst in the league.

The Dolphins were eliminated in the playoffs by the Buffalo Bills, their division rivals, in a close 34-31 contest. Miami played that game without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was in concussion protocol.

Vic Fangio's career

The veteran coach has made a name for himself as the defensive coordinator for many teams with huge success. He occupied the job for five different teams: the 49ers, the Bears, the Indianapolis Colts, the Houston Texans and the Carolina Panthers.

He also had a stint as the defensive coordinator at Stanford in 2010, under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Once Harbaugh was hired as the head coach in San Francisco the following year, he took Fangio with him to coach the defense.

His defensive scheme is one of the best known in the league, operating with a two-safety shell while focusing on pressing opposing quarterbacks with just four players, not blitzing a lot. Some of the names in his defensive coaching tree include current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley and current Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Joe Barry.