Vic Fangio

Vic Fangio was retained by the Ravens as Special Assistant to the Head Coach on January 30, 2008.

Vic Fangio entered his 2nd year with the Ravens in a new position as the special assistant to the head coach/defense in 2007. Fangio assisted the Ravens as a consultant throughout the 2006 campaign. Prior to joining the Ravens, Fangio was defensive coordinator with 3 NFL teams for 11 seasons (1995-2005) – the Panthers, Colts and Texans, respectively.

OVERVIEW: Named special assistant to the head coach/defense in '07...Signed on with the Ravens as a team consultant in '06...Fangio broke down tape, scouted plays, players and team tendencies for the offense and defense...Was defensive coordinator for 3 NFL teams – the Texans, Colts and the Panthers...Fangio coached defensive units that led the league or were in the top 3 in points allowed, 3rd-down defense, 1st downs allowed, sacks, run defense, opponents QB rating and defensive TDs...His defenses ranked in the top 7 in the takeaway category 3 times (1995-96, 1998)...First NFL coaching position was with the Saints as OLB coach under head coach Jim Mora Sr....Launched pro coaching career with the USFL's Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars in 1984...Stars won 2 titles.

2006: (with Baltimore) 2006: The Ravens' defense finished 1st overall in the NFL, 2nd against the rush and 6th against the pass and set several franchise records...Fangio broke down tape, and scouted plays, players and team tendencies for the offense and defense...When Brian Billick took over coordinating the offense after 6 games into the season, Billick said: "Vic became my eyes and ears in the coaching booth."...Baltimore earned a 13-3 record and a bye prior to the Divisional Playoffs.

2002-05: (with Houston) 2005: Texans finished with a  disappointing 2-14 season after a respectable '04.

2004: Defense set a team record with 22 INTs (5th in NFL), scored 5 TDs and finished 15th in the NFL in points allowed...Kept opponents out of the end zone for 13-straight quarters, from week 13 to week 16...That scoreless run was the NFL's best of the season.

2003: Five opening day defensive starters landed on IR, including 2 Pro Bowlers: CB Aaron Glenn and DE Gary Walker, plus starting T Seth Payne.

2002: Named DC for expansion Texans in a return engagement under head coach Dom Capers (see Carolina, below)...Texans ranked 8th in the AFC in total defense and 4th in the conference in pass defense...Ranked 7th in the NFL in 3rd-down defense, 8th in red-zone defense, 4th in penalties and 9th in yards per play...At Heinz Field in week 14, the young Texan team beat the Steelers, 24-6...Defense scored all 3 TDs.

1999-2001: (with Indianapolis) 2001: Uncertainty contributed to a 6-10 record, along with a number of injuries-(including a knee injury to Pro Bowler RB Edgerrin James), 5 new, 1st-time starters and the retirement of DE-Shawn King...The youth factor played a part, as 6 of the 10 DBs on the roster had never appeared in a NFL game.

2000: Finished the season with a 10-6 record...Fangio's defense tallied 42 sacks, the most posted in 11 years for the team...Vic's defense made major strides in all statistical categories, allowing Indy to post a stellar 23-9 record in 2 seasons (1999-2000)...Vic turned around a Colts team that had been 6-26 in the 2 previous  seasons (1997-98)....The "D" ranked 15th in points allowed in the NFL.

1999:Colts posted a 13-3 record in Fangio's 1st season, in what was described by media as the greatest 1-year turnaround in NFL history...Named defensive coordinator and posted his 3rd stint under Mora (see Saints, Panthers and USFL)...Indy won its 1st division championship in 15 seasons...In Fangio's 1st season as DC, the Colts jumped to 15th (in the NFL) from 29th in total defense.

1995-1998: (with Carolina)

1997-98: Expansion team Panthers recorded 11-21 seasons in 2 years. 

1996: Posted a 12-4 mark...Ranked 10th in total defense, 1st in 3rd-down defense, 1st in sacks, 2nd in 1st downs allowed and 5th in takeaways...Defense allowed  just 218 points, which ranked 2nd in the NFL...Panthers yielded just 5 TDs and 56 points in the 2nd half of the season, breaking Chicago's 1985 record of 71 points (their Super Bowl season) – a record that still stands today...Coached 3 All-Pro LBs in Lamar Lathan, Sam Mills and-Kevin Greene...Won the NFC West title in their 2nd season...Panthers reached the NFC Championship Game (Green Bay was the victor in Super Bowl XXXI)...Greene set NFL record with 5-straight multi-sack games...Led the NFL in sacks for  the 2nd time in 3 years with 14.5...Was consensus All-Pro for 2nd time in 3 years and elected to his 4th Pro Bowl...Mills earned his 5th Pro Bowl and retired in '97 to become LB coach at Carolina.

1995: Named DC for expansion Panthers under head coach Dom Capers...Tied for 7th in the NFL in total defense; ranked 6th in scoring defense, 10th in rushing defense, 5th in takeaways and 2nd in defensive passer rating.

1986-1994: (with New Orleans)

1994: Named LB coach...Saints were 7-9.

1993: LB Renaldo Turnbull was voted to the Pro Bowl, while the Saints posted an 8-8 season.

1992: A 12-4 mark gave the Saints a 23-10 record for the last 2 seasons...Fangio coached the vaunted "Dome Patrol," the stellar corps of LBs that led the Saints' defense: Ricky Jackson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills and Vaughan Johnson...Vic's defense led the Saints to their 1st playoff appearance and the defense to 4 top 10 finishes...It was the 1st LB unit from 1 team to be voted to the Pro Bowl on the 1st ballot.

1991: Posted an 11-5 season.

1990: New Orleans broke even at 8-8.

1989: The defense cracked the NFL's top 10 in total defense 4 times and the NFL's top 10 in rushing defense 6 times, including a 1st-place finish at 9-7.

1988: Finished the season 10-6.

1987: Advanced to the playoffs for the 1st time with a 12-3 record, making return trips in 1990-1991 and 1992.

1986: Named OLB coach under head coach Jim Mora...Saints posted a 7-9 mark.

1984-85: (with Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars) Defensive assistant in USFL under head coach Jim Mora...Teams won back-to-back USFL championships.

1983: (with North Carolina)

1983: Graduate assistant for the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.

1982: (with Milford Academy) Named to position of DC at Connecticut prep school.

1979-81: (with Dunmore HS) 

1980: Named defensive coordinator.

1979: Launched coaching career tutoring LBs for his alma mater.

COLLEGE: Attended East Stroudsburg State.

PERSONAL: Fangio launched his coaching career in 1979 at his alma mater, Dunmore (PA) HS...Coached LBs for 1 season before promotion to defensive coordinator...Inducted into the N.E. Pennsylvania Hall of Fame in 1993...Vic has  a son, Christian, and a daughter, Cassie.

COACHING BACKGROUND: (1979-81) (Dunmore HS); 1982 (Milford Academy); 1983 (U. of North Carolina); 1984-85 (USFL-Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars); 1986-94 (New Orleans Saints); 1995-1998 Carolina Panthers); 1999-2001 (Indianapolis Colts); 2002-05 (Houston Texans); 2006-07 (Baltimore Ravens)