There were a lot of nervous Philadelphia Eagles fans since the offseason, with all these changes coming, but the defensive coordinator Vic Fangio scare took anxiety to a whole new level in Philly.
Reports indicated that Fangio had told the Eagles he would retire at some point in the offseason. The Eagles brass had to convince him to stay for one more season, as the team is currently overhauling the offensive staff, including a new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion.
While at the Super Bowl, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane caught up with Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean to ask about his reaction to Fangio coming back for 2026. Many Eagles fans can expect that DeJean's reaction was the same as theirs regarding the news.
"I'm glad he's coming back. I still think he is having a lot of fun doing it. He seems like he's having a lot of fun. So, yeah I'm happy he's back."
Cooper DeJean is happy to have Vic Fangio back in Philly
Fangio has done great work for the Eagles over the last two years as his defenses have ranked in the top 13 in yards and points in each of his two seasons as defensive coordinator. He was a big part of why the team won the Super Bowl in 2024 and kept the franchise afloat in 2025, making the postseason.
DeJean owes much to Fangio; in his first two seasons in the NFL, he was highly regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Last year, DeJean, in just his second season, made the Pro Bowl and was selected as a first-team All-Pro alongside his other corner, Quinyon Mitchell.
It appears that, while Fangio will be in the 2026 season, the future may not have the defensive coordinator in Philly or coaching for long. This is the offseason when the defense has to be built to last for years, and the team has to come up with a new plan for 2027, when Fangio may consider retirement again.
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While the offense goes through changes in 2026, the 2027 season could be the year of change for the defense, depending on what Fangio does.