The 2025 season has gotten off to a great start for Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Coming off the first Super Bowl victory of his career, Fangio’s defense kicked off its title defense in victorious fashion, defeating the Dallas Cowboys 24-20 on Thursday night and have another chance to make a statement when they face the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch next Sunday.
Fangio has probably already started scouting for that matchup. But it would be understandable if he took some time to see what else was happening in the NFL in Week 1. If he flipped on Red Zone for a few moments, it’s possible his opening week may have gotten that much sweeter after the Miami Dolphins lost to the Indianapolis Colts 33-8.
Dolphins’ Opening-Week Blowout Loss Was Music to Eagles DC Vic Fangio's Ears
The Dolphins were run off the field on Sunday afternoon as the Colts scored on all seven of their possessions and racked up 418 yards of total offense. Daniel Jones was the biggest beneficiary of a lackluster Miami defense, completing 22-of-29 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown through the air and running for two more touchdowns in a full-blown beating.
Making a quarterback that was released by the New York Giants midway through last season look like a right-handed Steve Young would be enough to crack a smile on the stoic 67-year-old’s face. But the end result may have even elicited some laughter, considering Fangio’s history in Miami.
Fangio spent the 2023 season as the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins, but his tenure lasted one season for several reasons. Fangio’s old-school style was too much for Miami to handle at times, and Cam Smith reacted to his departure with an “unlocked” emoji, suggesting that Fangio had held him back in his rookie season.
The accusations also made their way to the Eagles locker room as safety Reed Blankenship defended Fangio during an interview on Sports Radio 94 WIP last June.
“Whatever was said in Miami, that’s their locker room,” Blankenship said. “Our locker room is completely different, I believe in my opinion. We’ve got guys that liked to be coached and like to be held accountable and obviously that shows on the field. We’re a young group, but we understand if we want to win the big things we’ve got to be coached hard.”
Whatever the reason, the Eagles are happy that Fangio came back to Philadelphia, where he served as a defensive consultant in 2022. In his full-time role as defensive coordinator, players like Zack Baun have taken steps forward in their careers and Philadelphia was able to capture the second championship in franchise history behind a defense that didn’t even have to blitz Patrick Mahomes to get the job done.
Perhaps Fangio’s style would fit in nicely for a Dolphins team that was dominated during a joint practice in Detroit and again in Indianapolis in Week 1. But Fangio has his own things to worry about in a high-profile matchup in Week 2.
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