Vic Fangio is heading to the Windy City.
The Chicago Bears hired the former 49ers lieutenant to serve as John Fox's defensive coordinator, the team announced Tuesday. Fangio also interviewed with the Washington Redskins.
It's a strong hire for the Bears after Fangio helped build San Francisco's defense into a beast over the past four seasons. They tailed off this autumn, but the Niners ranked second, second and third in points allowed between 2011 and 2013.
The hiring of both Fox and Fangio addresses Chicago's greatest need: Rebuilding a defense that crumbled to pieces over the past two seasons under Marc Trestman and former defensive play-caller Mel Tucker.
Only the Oakland Raiders allowed more points per game, with Chicago also allowing the third-most yardage in the NFL in 2014. The Bears have plenty of work to do both in free agency and the draft to infuse talent into a unit that lacks playmakers and depth.
Fangio under Jim Harbaugh inherited a Niners defense with a handful of stars in the making. That won't be the case in Chicago, but this experienced assistant stands out as an impressive get for Fox.
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