Eagles Should Keep Vic Fangio 'Until He Tells You He's Done,' Says Expert

The Philadelphia Eagles face a potential seismic shift on defense with Vic Fangio contemplating retirement, but NFL reporter Jeff Kerr has a simple message for the organization: keep him as long as humanly possible.

"You have this guy run until he tells you he's done," Kerr said during his appearance on Birds 365, dismissing concerns about the 67-year-old coordinator's age.

The Gordon Ramsay Comparison

Kerr used a perfect analogy to illustrate Fangio's value to the Eagles defense. "If you have Gordon Ramsay as your personal chef, why would you want to change chefs?" he asked, highlighting the absurdity of moving on from an elite coordinator simply due to age concerns.

The sentiment makes complete sense when examining Fangio's impact on Philadelphia's defense. Under his guidance, the Eagles have maintained one of the NFL's top defensive units, with players consistently executing complex schemes with minimal blown coverages.

"It's astonishing how few blown coverages the Eagles have for all the coverages they call," Kerr noted, emphasizing Fangio's scheme mastery.

Industry Recognition Speaks Volumes

Kerr made a compelling point about Fangio's standing in the NFL coaching community, comparing him to offensive innovators like Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay.

"Who does everybody in the industry copy? That's Vic Fangio," Kerr explained. "That tells you more than anything else."

This widespread adoption of Fangio's defensive concepts across the league demonstrates his influence and effectiveness. Even Kansas City's Steve Spagnuolo, who has multiple Super Bowl rings, acknowledged Fangio's greatness, saying "if I go Hall of Fame, you better reserve a spot for Vic."

The Christian Parker Factor

With Christian Parker leaving for Dallas as their new defensive coordinator, some suggested the Eagles should prioritize retaining Parker over Fangio. Kerr quickly shot down this logic.

"I don't like it. I prefer to keep them. But you can let Christian Parker walk out that building," he said, emphasizing that losing a quality assistant is preferable to losing the mastermind himself.

The reality is that Parker received a defensive coordinator opportunity he couldn't turn down. When Dallas comes calling with a DC position, coaches don't say no, regardless of their situation in Philadelphia.

Contingency Planning

While advocating for keeping Fangio, Kerr acknowledged the Eagles need contingency plans. He suggested promoting Clint Hurtt internally would be the logical move if Fangio retires mid-process.

"Because of the lateness of it, if he retires from this point forward or if he retires in July, you're kind of screwed," Kerr explained. "You don't have the pick of the litter."

Other potential external options include Jim Schwartz, despite being under contract with Cleveland, and even Jonathan Gannon, though Kerr noted the latter would require overcoming fan sentiment.

Not About Dysfunction

One narrative Kerr firmly rejected was any suggestion that Fangio's potential retirement reflects organizational dysfunction. He pointed out that Fangio was discussing retirement even after the Super Bowl victory, indicating personal rather than professional motivations.

"Was it toxic at the super bowl party because he was talking about retiring then and they just won the Super Bowl?" Kerr asked rhetorically.

The Bottom Line

As discussed on Birds 365, the Eagles find themselves in an enviable but precarious position. They have one of the NFL's premier defensive coordinators, but his age creates inevitable uncertainty.

Kerr's advice remains sound: maximize every moment with Fangio while preparing for the future. The defensive coordinator has proven his worth repeatedly, and the Eagles should exhaust every opportunity to keep their Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen.

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