Vic Fangio is out: Who are Dolphins’ possible DC candidates for 2024?
Vic Fangio is one-and-done as Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator, the team announced Wednesday.
Here’s a list of possible successors:
Anthony Campanile
Campanile, 41, has been the Dolphins’ linebackers coach since 2020 and is respected to the point of drawing interest around the league as a coordinator candidate, so it’s only natural that Mike McDaniel give him strong consideration for a promotion.
Campanile played a starring role in the initial episode of “Hard Knocks” when he gave an impassioned speech to the team to drive up intensity. In it, he asked players to imagine someone running down the street after grabbing one of their relatives, even one of their children.
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“That would make me out of my (bleeping) mind,” Campanile said. “That ain’t gonna (bleeping) happen.”
Campanile also compiled a “cake leaderboard” for meetings, presenting the best performers from the previous game with cakes.
Before arriving, his roles included serving as co-defensive coordinator at Boston College in 2018 and linebackers coach at Michigan in 2019.
Sean Desai
Desai, 40, didn’t survive one season as defensive coordinator of the Eagles under Nick Sirianni.
Sirianni demoted Desai as the Eagles’ season began to spiral out of control amid blowouts by the 49ers and Cowboys. Philly gave up a total of 75 points in those games. Now Desai is a free agent.
Desai also was a DC in Chicago in 2021. The Bears ranked sixth in total defense and 22nd in points allowed.
Wink Martindale
If McDaniel thinks the Dolphins need to toughen up, Don “Wink” Martindale might be his man.
Martindale, 60, is best known as the architect of the Ravens’ defense from 2018-21, when Baltimore ranked in the top seven in the NFL three times. More impressively, the Ravens were in the top three in scoring three of those seasons.
Martindale was the Giants’ defensive coordinator the past two seasons. New York ranked 25th and 27th in total defense over that period.
Just as bad was his parting with the Giants. The Athletic reported that Martindale cursed at head coach Brian Daboll before storming out.
Marquand Manuel
Manuel, 44, who has coached the Jets’ safeties since 2021, overlapped with McDaniel on the coaching staff of the Falcons in 2016. That’s not his only connection. Manuel attended the University of Florida and Miami High.
He was a defensive back for eight NFL seasons, playing for six teams.
Manuel then served as defensive coordinator in Atlanta in 2017 and ’18, during which time they ranked ninth and 28th defensively and eighth and 25th in points allowed.
Manuel is supposed to interview for the Jaguars’ DC job Thursday. Maybe take a trip farther south to chat afterward?
Just gonna leave this here …
Mike Vrabel:The recently fired Tennessee head coach whose Titans wrecked the Dolphins’ season with that comeback? Yup, that guy.
Leslie Frazier: Another of the if-you-can’t-beat-‘em gang. Frazier, 64, is a former Bills DC.
Brandon Staley: In his only season as a DC, he helped the Rams lead the league in total defense and scoring defense in 2020, which is what earned him the job as head coach of the Chargers the past three seasons. But they never ranked higher than 20th defensively over that span.
Chris Shula: Son of David, grandson of Don, he’s in his seventh season on the Rams’ staff, now serving as linebackers coach and pass rush coordinator. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.