The Washington Commanders are busy trying to get their own house in order. However, head coach Dan Quinn will always keep an eye on developments in the NFC East before a crucial third year at the helm.
It's been an offseason of great change within the division. Coordinators have been canned with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. The New York Giants took even more drastic measures, making a bold statement by hiring John Harbaugh as the man to replace fired head coach Brian Daboll.
The Commanders kept faith with Quinn, but Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr. were sacrificed. That seemed to be the end of this division's upheaval, until a bombshell rumor surfaced that would immediately plunge the Eagles into full-blown crisis mode.
Commanders' rival Eagles rocked by Vic Fangio retirement speculation
Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice stunned the football world by revealing that Eagles' defensive coordinator Vic Fangio contemplated retirement this offseason. The threat was real, and Philadelphia almost considered Jonathan Gannon or Jim Schwartz as a possible replacement for the legendary figure.
Although the report also stated that Fangio has agreed to stay on for another year, Kempski got the cold shoulder from Philadelphia when seeking official confirmation. That led him to believe a possible retirement before the 2026 campaign was still on the table.
"According to multiple sources, the Philadelphia Eagles got a big scare recently when legendary defensive coordinator Vic Fangio informed the team that he was retiring from coaching in the NFL. However, sources said that Fangio was convinced by the team's brass to stay for at least one more season in 2026. For now, Fangio is back, though it should be noted that PhillyVoice reached out to an Eagles spokesperson to confirm that Fangio is still the team's defensive coordinator, and they declined to answer until further notice. As such, wiggle room exists for Fangio to change his mind again."Jimmy Kempski
Fangio is one of the most respected defensive minds in NFL history. He's masterminded some exceptional defenses in Philadelphia and throughout his career. Losing him would be a body blow, but at 67 years old, it's clear that the end is fast approaching.
It would be a bombshell of epic proportions if Fangio called time on his career at this stage of the offseason. It took Nick Sirianni a long time to find a new offensive coordinator before settling on Sean Mannion. Being the guy who follows his defensive guru is even less appealing, so another year gives him some breathing space to form contingencies.
The Commanders' chances would improve exponentially if Fangio departs his post. That might not be this season, but the 2026 campaign could be his last.
And if Washington steadies the ship, not having Fangio to worry about will only strengthen their cause.