PHILADELPHIA — Vic Fangio says he’s good for two more years of coaching — at least.And why not? He’s reverse aging. At least, that’s what the doctors told Fangio recently when they reviewed his work from the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff’s annual physicals. That’s welcome repartee at any age, much less at Fangio’s 67.That’s a threshold where doctors often tell folks to cut back on certain foods or habits. The docs instead armed Fangio with a clever quip when he later met with players who’d heard offseason rumors that their defensive coordinator had considered retirement.“I told them you guys are stuck with me for a while,” Fangio said. “A long while.”Truth is, Fangio did think about retiring. He said he “wasn’t close” to calling it a career, and he “never really got serious to where I would have done it.” He said he’s also thought about retirement over the last few years. He said this time was no different from after he won his first Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2024. Or after his 2023 season as D-coordinator for the Miami Dolphins, a tenure that bookended the Eagles’ attempts to bring a lifelong Philly sports fan home.The season ends. The calendar turns. The ticking insists he address the clock in the room.“Your birth certificate tells you you should think about it,” Fangio said. “And I do. And then I’m always back. And I’m back. … I still like doing it. I like the group of guys we have. I like working with them. I still like the challenge of the job. Work for a good organization. Really, it’s just something that I think you’ll always think about at the end of the year. But in the end, I didn’t come close to doing it. And I really don’t foresee myself doing it — I’m good for two years, at least.”It’s difficult to overstate how crucial Fangio’s return is for the Eagles.It’s arguable that having the seven-time NFL defensive play caller up there on the auditorium stage, speaking with reporters a week before OTAs begin, was the organization’s most important development of the offseason. The primetime attention focused on first-time offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, the 34-year-old former NFL quarterback who spoke for the first time about his plans to fix an offense that decisively regressed last season. But, without Fangio, head coach Nick Sirianni would have suddenly needed to hire his fourth defensive coordinator in six years — in the middle of searching for an O-coordinator — and the Eagles might have a lesser shot at securing a forgiving defense that should support even marginal offensive improvement.Dominant defense has substantially contributed to the Eagles’ golden era. Former coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s sack-leading squad helped drive the Eagles to Super Bowl LVII (and contributed to their loss by failing to pressure Patrick Mahomes). Fangio restored the Eagles’ defense to a Super Bowl-caliber squad after the dysfunction of the 2023 unit mightily contributed to that season’s demise. And, in 2025, Philadelphia’s No. 5-ranked scoring defense compensated for the least-efficient offensive system in the Sirianni era as the Eagles staggered toward their second straight NFC East title.Fangio pushed back on the narrative that the 2025 offense’s dysfunction sank the season. “We could have played better, too, on defense in certain games,” Fangio said, “and we need to take that mindset moving forward.” But his statement should be taken less as a dismissal of a sentiment several Eagles offensive players voiced and more as a motivation for the Eagles’ defense to improve during yet another season when it will be counted on.Enough talent and roster stability exist for the Eagles to field what would be, according to TruMedia, a third straight top-seven defense in terms of defensive EPA per play.Eagles general manager Howie Roseman swung hardest with his defensive acquisitions by adding Pro Bowler Jonathan Greenard to their edge rusher room with a draft-day trade-and-sign deal. The Eagles had spent the offseason searching for an edge rusher after Jaelan Phillips, who also played for Fangio in Miami, signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. The Eagles needed to address their edge rusher depth beyond Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith. (Smith was arrested last Friday on suspicion of speeding and reckless driving.Fangio said Thursday he “didn’t find out about it till this morning” and that the Eagles will “address it with him at some point.”) Greenard, who logged 12-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024, is expected to lift a pass rush that did not include anyone with more than 6 1/2 sacks in 2025.“He’s been a good pass rusher,” Fangio said of Greenard. “He’s been productive in the rush. He’s had years where he’s had good numbers sack-wise. But like we always discuss, pressure on the quarterback is also important, and he’s been able to do that throughout his career. I think he’s strong on the edge versus the run game. So, we’re excited to have him, but I think there’s a lot of good there.”The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Jonathan Greenard in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings and signed him to a four-year, $100 million contract extension. (Jeffrey Becker / Imagn Images)Jihaad Campbell, a 2025 first-round pick, will step into the starting linebacker spot next to All-Pro Zack Baun after Nakobe Dean’s offseason departure. Fangio said Campbell, who is managing an offseason shoulder injury, may not participate in OTAs until the later dates.“But he’ll be ready for training camp,” Fangio said.A secondary with two All-Pros, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, was reinforced with Riq Woolen, a Super Bowl LX winner with the Seattle Seahawks, as a potential upgrade to the CB2 spot Fangio jerry-rigged in 2025. Fangio said the Eagles looked at Woolen midseason last year while gauging the Seahawks’ interest in trading him. Fangio said he wasn’t very involved in evaluating Woolen at the time, but when Fangio dived into Woolen’s tape during free agency, Fangio was impressed enough by Woolen that he was surprised Woolen didn’t “get a lot of action” around the league for a long-term deal.Woolen, 27, signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Eagles after his rookie deal with the Seahawks expired. Woolen has enviable size at 6 feet 4 and 210 pounds, but he had a knack for getting flagged for taunting at disadvantageous times — most notoriously in the NFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Rams.“I’m confident he’ll overcome that,” Fangio said.“It’s hard to find guys at those heights that can move and mirror receivers that are hard to cover,” Fangio said. “He can do that for a guy his height. He can get in and out of breaks. He obviously has good downfield speed. And his length is more of an asset than a detriment in his case. I’m excited to have him. He’s been here since we started the offseason. Seems to be a great guy, he’s into being here and really looking forward to working with him.”Fangio said the safety spot backfilling Reed Blankenship’s free-agency departure is “an open competition.” DeJean will play safety in base packages, Fangio said. (DeJean played cornerback in base last year.) Fangio also notably named Marcus Epps first as someone who has a “good claim to it.” Epps, who at first returned to the Eagles in 2025 on the practice squad, “pleasantly surprised” Fangio with his ability to play with instincts and experience. Fangio said he’s “taking a good look” at Michael Carter II, a career nickel whom the Eagles acquired by trade last year.The competition will yield a partner to Drew Mukuba, who suffered a season-ending ankle fracture 11 games into his rookie season. Fangio said Mukuba has “been out there the last couple of weeks” with the Eagles. “He’s not 100 percent yet,” Fangio said. “But he will be soon.”Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Moro Ojomo all return within one of the NFL’s best interior defensive lines. Davis signed a three-year, $78 million extension in March, which ought to provide Carter and Ojomo further incentive to secure long-term deals of their own. Carter experienced a setback in 2025 while playing through shoulder pain that required midseason operations that sidelined him for five games.Fangio said Carter’s shoulders “are fine.” Fangio said Carter started his offseason weight training “earlier than normal,” and “you can see the difference in that regard.”“So, I think he’s in a better spot now than he was,” Fangio said.The Eagles realistically remain a Super Bowl contender. That’s enough to keep Fangio away from the golf course. Well, not entirely. Fangio said he’s played a few rounds with former Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, who left the organization after 13 seasons. (When asked who wins, Fangio grinned, “I usually do. And I’m older than he is.” Stoutland is 64.) Fangio and Stoutland live near each other. They have spoken about life after football.“He seems to be enjoying himself,” Fangio said. “I know he’s playing a lot of golf. I don’t know if he’s gotten any better, but he’s trying.”