National Football League

Report: Dolphins hire Vic Fangio, make him NFL's highest-paid coordinator

Updated Feb. 2, 2023 11:21 a.m. ET

The Dolphins have hired former Broncos head coach Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator, giving him a three-year contract with a fourth-year team option that will make him the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL, per NFL Network.

Fangio will officially accept the position on the Miami staff after the Super Bowl, per ESPN.

Fangio struggled in Denver during his three seasons as head coach but is highly regarded as a defensive coordinator from his time in the role with the 49ers and Bears.

Fangio's defenses in each of his four seasons with San Francisco ranked in the top 10 in both yards and points allowed and helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl after the 2012 season. He then rebuilt Chicago's defense into one that allowed the third-fewest yards and fewest points in 2018, carrying the Bears to an NFC North title and playoff berth that year.

Fangio did not coach during the 2022 season but was reportedly highly sought after during this coaching cycle. Several coaches from the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, including Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel's mentors Matt LaFleur and Kyle Shanahan, have publicly expressed their admiration for Fangio's defense. Now, McDaniel turns to Fangio to help fix what was a struggling Dolphins defense in 2022.

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