A familiar face to San Francisco 49ers fans is headed to Denver. Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has reportedly reached an agreement to become the next head coach of the Broncos, according to Adam Schefter and Dan Graziano of ESPN.
Denver reached agreement with Bears' DC Vic Fangio to become the Broncos' next head coach, sources tell me and @DanGrazianoESPN. It will be a four-year deal plus a team option for a fifth, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 9, 2019
Fangio was the 49ers' defensive coordinator under Jim Harbaugh from 2011 through 2014. After Harbaugh and the 49ers parted ways, Fangio was released from his contract and went to Chicago. The 49ers defense never ranked worse than fifth in the league under Fangio.
Fangio was one of just two internal candidates interviewed for the 49ers' head coach vacancy following the 2014 season — a job that eventually went to Jim Tomsula, who served as Fangio's defensive line coach.
Fangio served as the Bears' defensive coordinator for four seasons. This past season, Chicago owned the top defense in points allowed and against the run while ranking third in total yards allowed and seventh against the pass. Fangio was interviewed for the Bears' head coaching job in January of 2018, but that job went to Matt Nagy.
H/t to Patrick Tulini for the find.