Thanks to COVID-19, the Broncos will be without seven starters for their Week 17 battle against the Chargers this afternoon, a reality that could make it more difficult for head coach Vic Fangio to stick around for a fourth season. As Troy Renck of Denver 7 observes, Fangio may need to win the final two games of the 2021 campaign to keep his job (video link).
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes that Fangio’s status is indeed up in the air, and in addition to a strong showing over the next two games, GM George Paton might require his head coach to lay out a compelling strategy to improve the team’s offense. Obviously, Paton himself will have a significant say in that, as Denver could once again be in the market for a high-profile quarterback like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson. But after Fangio’s refusal to pull play-calling duties from OC Pat Shurmur caused some locker room tension earlier this year, Paton would undoubtedly like some reassurance that any QB he acquires will be well-positioned to succeed.
Paton and Fangio do have a strong working relationship, and we heard earlier this year that the first-year GM is not necessarily looking to bring in his own leader. He is, however, doing his due diligence. Per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, team brass has had internal discussions about the possibility of moving on from Fangio and has done background work on potential HC candidates. Fangio’s staffers, meanwhile, are preparing to seek new employment.
If Fangio does get the ax, he may not be without work for long. As La Canfora writes in a separate piece, the 63-year-old defensive guru will be high atop the wish lists of clubs in need of a DC, especially if such a club hires a first-year, offensive-minded head coach. That coach would love to have Fangio aboard not only for his defensive acumen, but because he could be entrusted to run half of the team while the HC focuses on building relationships and developing the offense.
It was Fangio’s work as the Bears’ defensive coordinator that landed him the Broncos’ HC job to begin with. He also served in that capacity with the Panthers, Colts, Texans, and 49ers.
I mean, what were the Broncos brass expecting him to do with that garbage roster they gave him?
The NFL coaching shuffle rarely achieves its envisioned goal. Take a coach from a winning team and roster, plant them on a losing team, give them a ridiculously limited time to somehow turn the franchise around? Its no coincidence that some teams stay at the top while others languish at the bottom. I guess they have to blame somebody?
We’ll take him back here in Chicago. Especially if the Bears hire a good offensive minded coach to help Fields. However all this is mindless speculation until the Bears decide to fire both Pace and Nagy and hire a real chief operating officer. Worst teams in the league don’t trade multiple first round picks for 1 player. Pace has done it 3 times.Trubisky,Mack,and Fields and they’re still one of the worst teams in the league. In fact, They’ve gotten worse each time. Only really good teams trade multiple 1st round picks for 1 player to put them over the top. And to be realistic, In Football, that hardly ever works anyway. Really good teams are more than likely to sign a good FA, and keep their picks, But you can’t really convince a good FA to come to this freak show. Look at the signings recently, Goodwin, Byrd, Ifedi and I could go on and on. Lame players cast off by other teams.
I agree that some teams get too antsy with trading multiple picks, and for a bad team that makes no sense. Unless you are talking about a generational QB like Manning, no 1 guy is going to make you stronger than 3 or 4 good players will while you rebuild.
Making massive trades for one player has never made good sense in a sport with an injury list, unless perhaps for a star quarterback. Now adding something as sporadic as COVID, teams are needing to diversify their options not condense them into “Superman-esque” fix-it-all game players. Having 11 decent enough players on the field has become the main issue over the next year.
Fangio is the single biggest reason the Bears won 12 games and Nagy received coach of the year that same season.They’ve floundered ever since. If the Broncos do actually land a Rodgers or Wilson, Fangio would be the guy to hold onto. Just as Arians has let Brady run the offense in Tampa, he could absolutely follow that same plan (especially with Rodgers), and concentrate on the defense.
Mike Florio suggests that Vic Fangio’s job is not in jeopardy because the team is going to be for sale soon.
Best to leave things be, let Fangio finish out his remaining year, and let the new owner decide on a new coach.
Lets not get carried away with that season. The reason the Bears won 12 games that season was the defense created a mind boggling 40 turnovers or so which frankly was not likely to be repeated. However Fangio has still been one of the best defensive minds in the game for a long time. Desai might be a good DC someday, But that day is down the road.
Bears fans if Fangio gets fired how would you feel if the cheap*$$ McCaskey’s decided to get the band back together in a desperate attempt to regain the success of a few years ago? I’m a Vikings fan who lives in Chicago and most of my family are Bears fans so I know enough about their organization to know there’s a distinct possibility of a Pace, Nagy, and Fangio reunion when every bears fan I know just wants a reset.
I’m not a Bears fan, but that sounds like a surefire way to tank ticket sales. That might be the most uninspired option they could think of.
A Vikings fan in Chicago? What do you have some kind of 500 mile restraining order or lose a work lottery or something? That sounds like a special kind of hell. Except when the Vikings play the Nagy Bears. that’s good for a laugh.
I was born in Chicago and spent my teenage years in Wisconsin, I guess I just like being oppositional. I can’t stand the Packers but I can’t really hate the Bears.
Good lord, no. Nagy is as good as gone and Pace should be. Fangio would be great to get back as DC- but the others need to just go away. I’m sure your family feels the same way.
They do but they also believe the McCaskey’s will find any excuse to avoid paying two head coaches next year.
Well, I’m thinking McCaskey, (who is 3-19 against the Packers since he took over) is desperate at this point. They haven’t actually been cheap- they’ve had a top 5 payroll for years- It’s just one clueless decision after another. Almost incredible how he and Phillips could continue that ineptitude for so long and not land one HC or GM that could get them all the way. I think he’ll do whatever he can to salvage whatever legacy he wants to leave behind.
Because the defense Fangio has brought from within the organization, there’s a real good chance that Denver doesn’t throw that out in spite of a sputtering offense.
They’re one or two good pieces away from a complete team (IMHO Quarterback, OC and possibly OL depth).
I’d say odds are he’s back for the remainder of his contract. However, it’s all but certain he’s out if after 2-years with Paton at the helm they don’t started getting 24+ points a game.
Right now, Denver’s defense is really good and they’re spoiling their youth with no points.
If you’re the Broncos right now, you fire Fangio and hire someone like Josh McDaniels as your coach. Hope your defense stays good and hope McDaniels can cure the offense.
You…you are familiar with McDaniels’ work history, right?
Fangio has the Broncos as a top five defense currently if I remember correctly, despite losing all four of his starting linebackers at one point, plus other injuries to an already iffy roster. He deserves blame for keeping Shurmur and Shula on board when they’re the biggest obstacles to team success, but overall Fangio has done a relatively good job at keeping Denver competitive.
Starting Drew Lock on a team that’s a quarterback away from being consistent is an unfair ask of any coach on the hot seat, and I hope the Broncos realize how much it hurts his chances. A good rule of thumb is, generally, not to fire someone who will be employed immediately afterward, and I hope Denver realizes that too.
imagine if teams gave young QBs the time they gave horrid coaches like Zimmer, Nagy, and Fangio?
Speaking of that, What’s to stop the Broncos from acquiring Trubisky from the Bills? Seems like that could be a worthy feel good story for next year. Mitch needs another chance to start and Denver needs a QB. He’s probably better than Lock will ever be. Wouldn’t take much more than a low draft pick next year. Don’t know what his contract status is.
Fangio along with Zimmer will be both highly sought after DC’s if they get fired