Vic Fangio Passing Kidney Stone: Will Broncos HC Coach Tonight?

Vic Fangio Kidney Stone

Getty Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio of the San Francisco 49ers looks on during pre-game warm ups before their game against the Arizona Cardinals at Candlestick Park on December 30, 2012 in San Francisco, California.

Vic Fangio is currently passing a kidney stone, putting his head coaching opener with the Denver Broncos Thursday night in jeopardy. According to Adam Schefter, the 60-year-old “spent a good part of the day in a Cleveland hospital with a kidney stone, per source. Fangio has not passed it yet, but he is doing better and he will try to coach tonight.”

Denver faces off against the Atlanta Falcons in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton (Ohio) to open up the 2019 NFL preseason (8 p.m. Eastern time, NBC). Fangio was hired to replace Vance Joseph after a 4-year stint as the defensive coordinator for the Bears.

Patrick Smyth, the Executive Vice President of Public & Community Relations for the Broncos, stated that he expects Fangio to coach tonight.

“Broncos HC Vic Fangio was taken to the hospital by a team physician this afternoon and was treated for a kidney stone. He is planning on coaching tonight’s game against the Falcons,” he tweeted, which the Broncos Twitter retweeted.

Fangio walked into the stadium less than an hour before kickoff, per a tweet by Fox Sports NFL.

He selected as the 2018 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America. Chicago ranked in the top-10 defensively in several major categories. No team allowed fewer yards per play and the Bears also led the NFL in interceptions (27), defensive touchdowns (six) and points allowed per game.

According to the Washington University of St. Louis Division of Urological Surgery, a kidney stone may take six weeks to pass. However, once it leaves the system, there is little to no recovery time unless there is invasive surgery.