Vic Fangio
Defensive coordinator
Age: 60
Resume: Bears defensive coordinator, 2015-present; 49ers defensive coordinator, 2011-14; Stanford defensive coordinator, 2010; Ravens LBs coach, 2009; Ravens special assistant to the head coach, 2006-08; Texans defensive coordinator, 2002-05; Colts defensive coordinator, 1999-2001; Panthers defensive coordinator, 1995-98; Saints linebackers coach, 1986-94.
Why he’s back
Vic Fangio wanted to be the Bears’ head coach. He had to settle for being head coach of the defense.
The steps that general manager Ryan Pace took during the first two weeks of January to ensure that fact might be the shrewdest of his career. Two days after Pace fired coach John Fox, he gave Fangio only his third-ever head coaching interview.
When Pace hired Matt Nagy as head coach five days later, he remained focused on keeping Fangio. He saw tremendous value in keeping continuity within the Bears defense, particularly with Nagy spending his time overhauling the other side of the ball.
The trick was to get Fangio to think the same way.
Before 2017, Fangio turned down a contract extension. He was a free agent in January and open to employment elsewhere.
Pace and Nagy recruited him to stay — and gave him a contract believed to be among the league’s richest for a coordinator. He was allowed to keep his defensive staff intact.
“It’s not a mathematical equation where you come up with the right answer,” Fangio said. “A lot of it turns out to be your gut feel, where you think the best place is, and not necessarily for the next 12 months but for the next five, six, seven, eight years.”
Now it’s Fangio’s turn to show the Bears what that next half-decade will look like. Ideally, it will be a more dangerous version of last year’s, which finished 10th in yards allowed and ninth in points allowed.
He’ll have as many as 10 returning starters on this year’s defense — and a staff that knows how each needs to be coached. With an offensive-minded head coach, Fangio will have the freedom to run his scheme the way he wants.
Short of Nagy, there’s no one more important to the Bears’ success.
“They were one of the top defenses in the league last year — we all know that — statistically,” former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt said. “And I give [chairman] George McCaskey or whoever made the decision a lot of credit. Because they got Vic locked up. They kept the staff intact. That’s going to help them this year. And it’s really going to give Mitch Trubisky and Matt Nagy a chance to get started without really worrying about the defense.”