MIAMI — Former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio has signed with the Miami Dolphins as the team’s defensive coordinator, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Fangio, 64, is out this season after Denver fired him last January.
Fangio went 19-30 in three seasons as the Broncos’ coach after being hired in 2019. He will be reunited at outside linebacker in Miami Bradley SupHe coached in Denver and was traded to the Dolphins last season.
NFL Network first reported that Fangio and the Dolphins had reached an agreement.
Fangio’s defenses have finished in the top 10 eight times, most recently in 2018 with the Chicago Bears (No. 3). The Broncos finished eighth overall in 2019, his final season as their head coach. He has 19 seasons of experience as a defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers and Bears.
The Dolphins fired defensive coordinator Josh Boyer earlier this month. When Mike McDaniel was hired as Dolphins head coach last year, he hired Boyer as his defensive coordinator.
Miami owned the league’s fourth-best run defense in 2022, but the defense finished 21st in expected points allowed, 22nd in sacks per pass attempt, 24th in points allowed per game and the third-lowest percentage. A defense that finished in the top 10 in takeaways in each of the previous two seasons struggled to create turnovers last season, finishing with just 14 takeaways — second fewest in the NFL.
Fangio joins a defense with several Pro Bowl-caliber players, including a former All-Pro cornerback. Xavion Howard and alternate Jevon Holland, Christian Wilkins and Sub.
He is now the third coach with head coaching experience on McDaniel’s staff, joining quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Darrell Bevell and tight ends/assistant head coach John Embree.