Super Bowl 2023: Eagles bring in defensive expert Vic Fangio on temporary deal to be secret weapon vs. Chiefs

Former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio has one important job before joining the Miami Dolphins: Win Super Bowl LVII.

"Wait a minute," you might say. "Vic Fangio isn't the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs or the Philadelphia Eagles. He took the year off from coaching entirely after being fired by the Broncos, right?"

Up until a few weeks ago, you would have been correct. But it appears the Eagles secretly hired Fangio to help them take down the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Fangio reportedly signed a two-week contract with the team to help its offense, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Fangio reportedly has strong relationships with multiple coaches on the Eagles. The team allegedly had interest in bringing Fangio in as an assistant for the regular season, but he opted to take some time away from the NFL.

Fangio made his name as a defensive coordinator in the NFL. He served in that role for various teams from 1995-2005 and again from 2011-2018. So, how did he help the Eagles' offense ahead of Super Bowl LVII? Fangio reportedly was "involved with self-scouting and projects," per Rapoport.

It's possible he scouted the Eagles' offense and gave the team tips on what to expect from Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. It's also possible he told the Eagles what types of plays to run, or how to confuse the Chiefs on defense.

Fangio should have some insight into the situation. In addition to his experience as a long-time defensive coordinator, he faced Spagnuolo's defense multiple times when Fangio was with the Broncos. Spagnuolo was hired as the Chiefs' defensive coordinator in 2019, which was Fangio's first year as the Broncos' head coach. The Broncos went 0-6 against the Chiefs under Fangio, but at least he got a close look at how Kansas City operated.

Following the Super Bowl, Fangio will sign a reported four-year deal to be the Dolphins' defensive coordinator. The contract will make Fangio the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL, per Rapoport.

Fangio doesn't necessarily need to justify that salary, as he has been a successful defensive coordinator everywhere he has gone, but walking into his first Dolphins meeting and showing off a Super Bowl LVII ring would make quite the impression.