The Philadelphia Eagles did not get the follow-up season they imagined after winning the Super Bowl the year before. Instead, frustration piled up, and now the focus has shifted toward rebuilding for the upcoming year. As that process begins, one major question looms over the franchise. Will defensive coordinator Vic Fangio return, or is retirement finally on the table?

As of now, Fangio has not publicly made a final call. However, according to insider Richard Johnson, the outlook does not sound encouraging for the Birds in the City of Brotherly Love.

“Just when things couldn’t seem worse for the #Eagles, Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio texted me that he plans to retire,” Johnson reported on X.

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Moreover, Johnson added more context behind that message and why frustration may be playing a role.

“‘Things would have been different’ if HC Nick Sirianni was good enough to hire one of the top offensive coordinators on the market to compliment him.”

At the same time, PhillyVoice reached out to the Eagles to get clarity on Fangio’s status, hoping to cool the growing speculation around Lincoln Financial Field.

However, the organization chose not to provide answers, at least for now. Consequently, that silence has only added to the mystery. Earlier, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo floated the idea that Fangio stepping away was a real possibility.

“I haven’t seen anything definitive that he’s coming back. I haven’t seen anything definitive that he’s retiring… Nothing would surprise me either way,” Garafolo reported on Thursday.

Garafolo also revealed a key detail that adds important context to the rumors. As per him, Fangio had already said he was finished with the NFL after the Eagles won the Super Bowl last year, only to be persuaded into returning for one more run.

Now, it appears history may be repeating itself, which explains why the retirement talk refuses to go away.

Eagles are in desperate situation amid Vic Fangio news

As uncertainty around Vic Fangio’s future began to grow louder, new reporting showed just how uneasy things have become inside the NovaCare Complex. According to Philly Voice reporter Jimmy Kempski, the Birds were so unsure about Fangio returning that they discussed the idea of checking in on Jonathan Gannon. At the time, Gannon had just been fired as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach, but any hope of a reunion quickly faded once he landed with the Packers as their new defensive coordinator.

Kempski also noted that Philadelphia also planned to monitor the availability of Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Schwartz reportedly felt frustrated after being passed over in Cleveland, which made him a logical option. Still, the bigger question lingers. Why did the Birds allow Christian Parker to leave for Dallas and take over the Cowboys’ defense when Fangio’s future was anything but settled?

Meanwhile, Fangio’s on-field work only complicates the situation further. The league recently announced the finalists for NFL Honors, and Fangio earned a spot among the top assistant coaches. Under his guidance, the Birds allowed the lowest completion rate in football at 56.8 percent. Even more, the defense surrendered just 14 passing touchdowns, the fewest at the Linc since 2001.

Additionally, the numbers keep stacking up in Fangio’s favor. Philadelphia held quarterbacks to the second-lowest passer rating in the league at 75.4, trailing only the Chargers. That included a league-best 58.1 rating on third and fourth down and a 64.6 mark in the red zone. The Birds also finished fifth in points allowed per game at 19.1.

So now, everything circles back to the same issue. The Birds are stuck in limbo, and until Fangio’s plans become clear, the pressure on the front office will only keep rising.