Chuck Pagano Called Vic Fangio For Advice After Taking Bears Job

People have tried to somehow pit Chuck Pagano against Vic Fangio ever since the former became the Chicago Bears defensive coordinator. Which scheme is better? Which coach is smarter? Why people are doing this is strange. It's not like the Bears fired Fangio. He left to become a head coach. The team had to find a replacement. Pagano, with his experience and qualifications, was as good an option as they were going to find.

There is also another element that gets forgotten in all this. Pagano and Fangio are friends. They worked together in Baltimore as Ravens assistants. Pagano as the defensive backs coach and Fangio as a linebackers coach. They know each other well. This probably played a small part in why Pagano wanted the Bears job. He knew the kind of coach Fangio is and the types of players he cultivated.

That may be why he had no issue calling his former colleague right after being hired. According to Dan Pompei, he was looking for some advice. Just not the kind one would expect.

So in January, when Pagano took over Fangio’s job as Bears defensive coordinator, he asked Fangio for some advice.

“Where can I get the best Italian food around here?” Pagano texted.

“Maria’s Bakery in Highwood,” Fangio responded. “Get the Rigatoni Bolognese.”

It was Fangio’s go-to dish. Now it’s Pagano’s. And he always asks Gino, the owner, for a side of meatballs.

Chuck Pagano is at a point where he knows his business

At this point, there isn't anything Fangio can say that Pagano doesn't already know. These two coaches have been doing this football thing for a really long time. Pagano himself came to the NFL in 2001 and has coached on some great defenses. He even coordinated one himself in 2011. The man knows what he's doing, knows what he has, and how to ensure it stays that way moving forward. What he doesn't know is the city.

The best places to go for food is always a big question mark. He no doubt had the same questions when he moved to places like Cleveland, Oakland, Baltimore, and Indianapolis. Who better to ask than the guy who held his job for the past four years? Somebody he knows personally on top of that. Jokes and kidding aside, it's nice to see the veteran coach isn't wasting time settling into his new position and that he has such quiet confidence about the task ahead.