When it comes to the NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys would be smart to take a page out of the Philadelphia Eagles' playbook. Nobody does the draft better than Eagles general manager Howie Roseman, but owning the April showcase might not be enough to save the Birds.
Philadelphia's search for a new offensive coordinator could not have gone much worse. Between Mike McDaniel and Brian Daboll, they got snubbed by all of their top candidates. Even the mid-tier candidates didn't want any part of joining Nick Sirianni's staff.
But hey, at least the Eagles' elite defense is still intact, right? Well, about that, a shocking report from Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com surfaced over the weekend, claiming that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is mulling retirement.
Subsequent conversations ended with Fangio agreeing to return for the 2026 season, but Kempski noted that nothing has been confirmed and there is still "wiggle room" for Fangio to change his mind.
Cowboys fans should be doing cartwheels if Eagles DC Vic Fangio retires
This undoubtedly rattled the Eagles' cage (understandably so), as Kempski adds that they reached out to former defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon about a potential return. Gannon has since taken the Green Bay Packers' DC job, so that option is off the table.
In addition to Gannon, Philly has also considered a Jim Schwartz reunion. The Eagles' defensive coordinator from 2016 to 2020, Schwartz is currently at odds with the Browns organization after he lost out to Todd Monken in Cleveland's head coaching search.
Sources: Eagles considered Jim Schwartz and Jonathan Gannon for defensive coordinator job after Vic Fangio retirement scare https://t.co/cCl7ZbcmfI
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) February 1, 2026
It would be catastrophic to the Eagles if Fangio decides to retire.
The 67-year-old has transformed Philadelphia’s defense into one of the NFL’s best over the past three seasons. While Roseman deserves credit for infusing high-end talent through the draft, Fangio’s scheme has been the true difference-maker.
The Eagles' 2024 defense was a wrecking ball, ranking first in yards allowed and second in EPA per play on their way to winning a Super Bowl. It took a slight step back this season, but it still carried Philly to the playoffs with a -0.09 EPA per play and a 41.30 percent success rate, per Sūmer Sports.
READ MORE: Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer just got another reason to loathe Matt Eberflus
As we said, Fangio would be an irreplaceable loss. And even if he returns, the fact that he has one foot out the door sets the stage for an epic collapse. With Nick Sirianni potentially entering a make-or-break year in 2026 and Fangio openly contemplating retirement, the entire operation could quickly unravel.
The vibes in Philadelphia have seemed off for months, and it came to a head when they lost to a depleted San Francisco 49ers team at home in the Wild Card Round.
After swinging and missing on several OC candidates, they turned to 33-year-old Packers quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion, who has never called plays, largely because no one seemed eager to tie their future to Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts.
Now, the coordinator responsible for keeping everything together in 2025 is mulling retirement.
Things are not OK in the City of Brotherly Love.