Vic Fangio was a beloved coach for the Chicago Bears between 2015 and 2018. He will go down as one of the organization’s best defensive coordinators ever. His work was the primary reason this team won the division in ’18 and looked like they had a shot at winning the Super Bowl. The Bears were never the same after his departure. However, for all his on-field success, it appears the man doesn’t have as many admirers outside of Chicago.
When he left in 2019, it was to become the new head coach for the Denver Broncos. This was a job he’d been chasing for the better part of almost 30 years. So it wasn’t a surprise he took it. Things didn’t go well, though. In three seasons, the Broncos never finished above .500. Injuries and quarterback problems bedeviled them. Though Fangio managed to produce another top defense, a toothless offense always held them back.
One can only imagine his reaction when Denver traded for Russell Wilson.
Yet it appears some people aren’t content to let him leave quietly. Certain players have an ax to grind with the former head coach, believing his conduct in Denver was toxic and unprofessional. No doubt a big reason why the team never took a significant step forward. Su’a Cravens, the former 2nd round pick of the Washington Redskins, signed with Denver in 2018. Going into the 2019 offseason, he was finally healthy and ready to compete for a job. It became clear almost right away though, that Fangio would never give him a chance. He broke down why in an extended Twitter thread.
I miss Denver so much. Wish I didn’t keep tearing my damn meniscus. I’d get my knee drained once a week just to show I was committed to be on the field. Didn’t help Vic went out his way to dislike me either lol but that’s life. I’m living vicariously through @jsimms1119 now 🤷🏽♂️😂
— Su’a Cravens (@iammsuzy) March 20, 2022
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Messed up part is when I got cut they asked me if I wanted to meet with Vic. I said yes and waited outside his door. I knocked and waited for 10 mins . He was inside and chose not to meet with me. Imagine if I stormed out and caused a scene. It would’ve made headlines. “Cancer”
— Su’a Cravens (@iammsuzy) March 20, 2022
This just the tip of the iceberg lol I got countless stories of Vic that Justin, Bryce, Kareem, basically every DB will tell you are 100% true. If I’m lying I’m dying. I lowkey want to host a podcast episode where I tell these stories with my boy @jsimms1119 as a guest. SHEESH!
— Su’a Cravens (@iammsuzy) March 20, 2022
Man I’ll say this, first day of OTAs me and JSims were talkin bout religion during warmups. Vic walked up only to me and said “talk football or shut up Su’a” and walked away from me 😂 I looked at Justin and said, yup I’m definitely gettin cut lmao IT WAS THE FIRST OTA WORKOUT!! https://t.co/31h9GNM2bY
— Su’a Cravens (@iammsuzy) March 20, 2022
Normally the day after we have a team cut up of all the highlights from the last practice. Team meeting we’d cheer for guys who made plays during team or 1on1 periods. I had a practice where I had 2 INTs & 2 sacks and Vic decided not to make a cut up for the defense that day 😂
— Su’a Cravens (@iammsuzy) March 20, 2022
I’m telling you!! Lol funniest part is after we broke the meeting and he said no defensive cut up, I turn my head left and spot Justin looking at me like this 😳😳😳😳 hahahaha I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d do my fingers like scissors to him and he’d tell me to chill but I knew
— Su’a Cravens (@iammsuzy) March 20, 2022
It would be easy to pass this off as a former player having sour grapes about what was essentially the end of his career. Yet that changed when his ex-teammate, Pro Bowl cornerback Chris Harris Jr., corroborated the story.
ima witness lol
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisJr) March 20, 2022
Not a great look for Vic Fangio. For all his coaching brilliance as a coordinator, stories like this help to illustrate why things went so wrong for him in Denver. Being a successful head coach is getting players to buy into a culture. That is hard to do when treating them poorly in front of teammates and acting as if they don’t even exist. Stuff like that gets around a locker room.
