Could Vic Fangio return to Broncos as Sean Payton’s defensive coordinator?
At 4:14 PM, eastern time, the news Broncos Country had been anxiously awaiting broke. Adam Schefter reported that the Saints and Broncos were finalizing the compensation in a deal that would send Sean Payton to the Denver Broncos via Twitter.
This could be the final piece in the quartet of ownership, management, head coach, and the quarterback that the Denver Broncos desperately needed. After weeks of teeter-tottering back and forth between candidates between the media and the fanbase, the Walton-Penner group connected on their big swing.
What happens next? While we all should celebrate the moment, there are always people who look ahead. Questions like “who will be on Sean Payton’s staff” have come up pretty regularly.
In my personal opinion, I do think that the staff surrounding Payton is a bit less important than it would be for a first-timer like DeMeco Ryans. However, nabbing great coordinators will only make Sean Payton’s life in Denver easier.
Especially one who has coached in Denver, even been the Head Coach of the Denver Broncos.
Vic Fangio was a middling head coach, but he has been a phenomenal defensive coordinator. There are plenty of coaches who fall under that category, there is nothing wrong with that. Bringing Vic Fangio back would certainly bring an interesting dynamic to the franchise needing a bit of a lift.
Fangio was relieved of his duties just last season after failing to get the Denver Broncos to the playoffs after three years of being in charge. Very rarely were the mishaps of the Denver Broncos defense what caused the Denver Broncos’ failure.
Could a reuniting of Vic Fangio and the Denver Broncos work? Players like Justin Simmons, Baron Browning, and Josey Jewell were all here for the Vic Fangio era. Curiosity strikes when wondering how the remaining veterans of the defensive side of the ball would feel about Fangio coming back.
Fangio does have options, it was rumored that he and the Miami Dolphins had agreed to a deal just a couple of days ago. San Fransisco also just lost their defensive coordinator to the Houston Texans, where he took a promotion, so there is an opening there.
Fangio has been employed by the San Fransisco 49ers previously and did an outstanding job there. His girlfriend also lives in the bay area too, so that certainly could persuade Fangio to accept the 49ers’ job if offered.
The current Denver Broncos defensive coordinator, Ejiro Evero, did a great job himself last season. It was his first year as a defensive coordinator, and Evero immediately grabbed the nation’s respect. So much so that has had several interviews for Head Coach positions himself.
If Evero were to be moved on, he would have a job offer before he gathered his remaining from the Denver Broncos facility.
It will be an interesting chain of events to come. For the Denver Broncos, they can’t go wrong with Vic Fangio or Ejiro Evero. Also, Fangio and Evero will have a job if they please. None of the aforementioned will be in a bad spot regardless.
There are pros and cons to both Fangio and Evero. It would be great if Evero was groomed into a Head Coach and brought the Denver Broncos back a couple of third-round picks if he were to get a head coaching job in 2024, but I also think Fangio’s experience could build a lethal staff.
What I think it comes down to is how players like Justin Simmons would feel about the return of Vic Fangio. If a leader like Simmons can get on board, the rest of the team should too.