Broncos fire Vic Fangio after 3 seasons

The Denver Broncos fired head coach Vic Fangio after three seasons, the team announced Sunday.

Fangio leaves Denver with a 19-30 record and zero playoff appearances.

Broncos president Joe Ellis confirmed that general manager George Paton "will have full authority" to select the team's next head coach.

Paton said, "With the foundation in place, the progress that’s been made and the resources we have to get better, I’m excited about the future of our team. We will find an outstanding leader and head coach for the Broncos and our fans."

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, New England Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, and Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett are among the contenders to succeed Fangio, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Denver went 7-10 this campaign after falling in its regular-season finale to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.

A longtime defensive guru, Fangio led by far his best defense in Denver this season. The team ranks third in points allowed and 10th in yards allowed with the rest of Week 18 left to play out.

However, the Broncos' offense continually struggled during his tenure, never finishing within the top 20 in scoring.

The 63-year-old endured a revolving door at quarterback. Joe Flacco and Drew Lock split time in 2019 before the latter took over the job permanently in 2020 - to little success.

Denver acquired Teddy Bridgewater via trade this past offseason. He led the Broncos to a 7-7 record but missed the final three games with a concussion as the team fell out of wild-card contention.

Fangio will likely be a hot candidate for defensive coordinator roles, added Pelissero.