Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio opened his Thursday press conference with a jab at Dr. Anthony Fauci that quickly drew laughs from reporters.
“I’m gonna be like Fauci and just take the Fifth Amendment on all questions. Did you guys see that? Oh my god.”
Fangio was referring to Dr. Anthony Fauci’s headline-grabbing Senate testimony Wednesday, when the former White House COVID adviser invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and repeatedly declined to answer questions from lawmakers after being subpoenaed by Sen. Rand Paul.
The Republican-led hearing centered on Fauci’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, the origins of the virus, gain-of-function research and thousands of pages of his recently released personal diaries. Fauci said he was invoking the Fifth on the advice of his attorneys, arguing Paul had an “obvious obsession” with prosecuting him.
Fangio’s quip came as he met with reporters ahead of another season leading one of the NFL’s top defenses.
#Eagles DC Vic Fangio opening his press conference today:
“I’m gonna be like Fauci and just take the Fifth Amendment on all questions. Did you guys see that? Oh my god.” 😅 https://t.co/RWufeZV4Gj pic.twitter.com/wEbzo8ZX4s
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 30, 2026
The Eagles fielded one of the NFL’s most dominant defenses during their Super Bowl-winning 2025 season. Philadelphia finished near the top of the league in points allowed, total defense and passing defense while consistently overwhelming opposing quarterbacks with a relentless pass rush.
Fangio, who joined the Eagles before the 2024 season after previous stops with the Broncos, Dolphins, Bears and 49ers, has long been regarded as one of football’s premier defensive minds. His aggressive scheme helped transform Philadelphia into one of the league’s most complete teams and played a major role in the franchise’s championship run.
While Fangio quickly turned his attention back to football after the opening joke, his Fauci reference became one of the more memorable moments from the Eagles’ media session.
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