ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — A $100,000 fine will sway a coach towards obedience.
The nature of a lifelong coach, though, was not about to issue a mea culpa without lacing his response with some defiance. Vic Fangio was docked $100,000 for what the league said was his improper execution of its face-covering edict. The Broncos’ organization was fined $250,000 because Fangio and other coaches and sideline personnel were spotted not masking correctly during the team’s 26-21 loss Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The league instituted the mask rule as a measure of protection against the coronavirus that has spread throughout the world, and hit the United States more than any other country.
“Obviously, I’m going to have to do better with that,’’ Fangio said in a Zoom media call Wednesday. He then explained why his mask did not always cover his nose and mouth, and indicated there will be times in the future when he must drop the mask for coaching purposes.
“What happens during the game, obviously I’m calling the defenses and I have to pull it down to communicate that so it can be sent into the players,’’ Fangio said. “When the officials come over and talk to me, they pull their mask down. I pull my down to talk to them.
“When I have my mask up after, I don’t know, 8 to 10 seconds it starts fogging my glasses. I have to pull it down. All those times where I pull it down I have to do better at getting it back up more than I have been. It’s all been subconsciously happening during the game.”
When Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniels and video assistant Steve Scarnecchia were caught cheating by illicitly filming a walkthrough of the opposing 49ers in London during the 2010 season, the coach and Denver organization were each fined $50,000. Fangio was fined twice that and the organization five times more for their mask violations.
“The league determines the fine amounts,’’ Fangio said. “We abide them.’’
The team has not said whether it’s appealing the fines, although two sources told 9NEWS, “the team has been in communication with the league,’’ on the mask laws.
Asked if there was any consolation in the fine revenue going to charities, Fangio said: “That’s good that any spare change can go to the charities. It’s all good.”
A $100,000 may be spare change compared to an NFL head coach’s salary – which figures to be around $5 million per year – but not many people would call 100 grand couch money.
Fangio said he and team chief executive officer Joe Ellis and general manager John Elway all met so the organization was on the same page regarding the league’s mask mandate.
“Yeah, we did,’’ he said. “There’s no mystery as to what happened or why it happened. I just have to be better with it. And continue to do a better job at pulling it back up when I have reasons to pull it down.’’
Fangio was asked if instead of the gaiter mask he has been using, or not using, he might use a protective shield that Kansas City coach Andy Reid has been modeling.
“I’m going to consider that,’’ he said. “Matter of fact I was going to use it the first game but late in the process decided not to.’’
NBA and NHL coaches don’t have to wear masks and their games are played indoors. Yes, they’re in a bubble environment, but so far the Broncos have played two outside games and will again Sunday against Tampa Bay and Tom Brady at Empower Field at Mile High. Is it practical for NFL coaches to have to wear masks?
“I’m wearing it because the NFL says we have to wear it,’’ Fangio said. “I’m a loyal employee of the NFL and I’m going to do my best to do better with that.”
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