The Super Bowl connection capable of holding Chicago's interest

He lasted three years in Denver as head coach, got fired, wound up as an Eagles consultant one year, defensive coordinator in Miami in 2023 and chose to leave amid plenty of he-said, they-said stuff, and surfaced as Eagles defensive coordinator this year. Now he's in the Super Bowl for the second time, looking for his first Lombardi Trophy at the age of 66.

When Fangio left Miami, some Dolphins were upset over his perceived rough treatment. Getting upset over the way they're handled seems to be a Dolphins thing. See the Brian Flores situation for an example.

Former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski wasn't happy about Dolphins' slams of Fangio.

"You won't find a better man, a football lifer, a guy dedicated to his profession, a great designer, not an ego that impacts anyone else," Jaworski said.

Jawowrski discounted what was said entirely.

"Coaches coach," Jaworski continued. "I have connections as well around this league and I hear another side of that story, that there were some players on that (Miami) defense that didn't want to work. Didn't want to put the time in, didn't want to put the effort in, didn't want to make the commitment to be successful."

Fangio was a well-liked figure in Chicago. He won over the media with his curmudgeon personality, jokes, talk about the Cubs, golf talk and dominant defense. Fangio helped turn Kyle Fuller into a Pro Bowl cornerback and made great use of Akiem Hicks in his defense. Khalil Mack became a terror in his scheme. Nagy's reaction told to Halas writers after he saw Mack unleashed in the Fangio scheme against the Packers in the opener was: "holy hell." They lost the game, though, of course.

Fangio could have left the Bears to be defensive coordinator for the Packers but was lured back to Halas Hall after John Fox's firing so he could coach Nagy's defense, while the Packers settled for Mike Pettine.

"The way I see him game plan, he just goes about everything the right way and it transfers to practice and transfers out on the field," Nagy said of his defensive coordinator late in the 2018 season. "Vic and I are very different personality-wise, but he brings out the best in me and I think I bring out the best in him.

"He's a little more introverted, I'm a little more extroverted. And to me that's what it's all about. We both really respect each other, and I think that's one of the reasons why it's working so well together."

Fangio had mutual respect for Nagy's efforts.

"He's got a lot on his plate and he hasn't cheated any of those facets that he's responsible for, both being a great head coach for the team," Fangio said about Nagy. "Obviously, we all know he runs the offense so that’s a full-time job in itself. And being the spokesman for the team, I think he’s done a great job in all areas and to be commended for that.”

The Fangio defense faced the Nagy offense in practices, training camp, and it worked well for a division title that one season. Then Fangio moved on and the Bears have never reached such heights again.

On Super Sunday it's the Nagy-Fangio reunion. Nagy won a 2019 matchup as Bears coach in Denver on a 53-yard Eddy Piniero field goal as time expired 16-14, when Fangio was Broncos head coach.

This one will be different because Nagy isn't calling plays as Chiefs offensive coordinator and Reid is. Fangio is calling them as the Dolphins defensive coordinator. It happened like this in 2023 twice.

Nagy's Chiefs first beat Fangio's defense with the Dolphins 21-14, then eliminated them in the playoffs 26-7 in Kansas City on a brutally cold day.

Fangio is overdue for payback.

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