Nearly two years after he finally got hired as an NFL head coach, Arizona’s Bruce Arians, 62, said this week he wouldn’t mind welcoming another member to the old guy’s club.

That slightly less older fogie: Niners defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

Arians stumped a bit for his former colleague when asked if Fangio, 56, a 28-year NFL veteran, is head-coaching material. Arians and Fangio worked together from 1999 to 2000 with the Colts.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt,” Arians said. “He has great knowledge of the game. I think he has a good rapport with his players. I think that’s the big thing. … I have a lot of respect for him. I think he would do a heck of a job.”

The topic is relevant, of course, because the 49ers will soon be seeking a coach to replace Jim Harbaugh, who will leave the team shortly after Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Cardinals, according to multiple reports.

Fangio and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula, who was the 49ers’ interim coach for the 2010 regular-season finale against Arizona, are the most logical in-house candidates.

The former hasn’t been a serious candidate for a head-coaching job since he finished runner-up to Kevin Gilbride in 1997 for the Chargers’ opening. At the time, San Diego general manager Bobby Beathard hired Gilbride partly because he wanted an offensive-minded coach. It’s possible the 49ers could have a similar mind-set given the 2014 struggles of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has directed the NFL’s 23rd-ranked offense.

If not with the 49ers, however, it’s possible Fangio will attract interest as a head coach elsewhere. This season, he’s bolstered an already impressive resume with his work with an injury ravaged defense. The 49ers have allowed the fifth-fewest yards in the NFL despite three All-Pro linebackers — NaVorro Bowman, Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis — combining to make just 12 of 45 starts. The 49ers ranked among the NFL’s top three in fewest points allowed per game from 2011 to 2013.

2 1 of 2 Jeff Chiu / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Rick Scuteri / Associated Press Show More Show Less



For the previous three years, the 49ers’ deep postseason runs have hindered their assistants’ ability to interview for other openings. This week, Fangio was asked if he’d pondered having the chance to interview, possibly with his current team, with the 49ers out of the playoffs.

“I haven’t, really,” Fangio said. “First off, wherever there are openings, it’s their opening. And if they’re interested, they’ll come to talk to you. I don’t know. It’s not one of those types of jobs where you put in an application and go through a weeding-out process. They know what they want to do most of the time. They have a picture of what they want to do and if it fits, it fits. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Given his career bio, why wouldn’t Fangio be a fit, somewhere?

It’s possible his age — he’s older than 21 of 32 head coaches — could play a factor if teams look to hire young up-and-coming assistants. For his part, Arians, the NFL’s fourth-oldest coach, acknowledged he’s proud he might have made teams reconsider that approach.

In 2012, Arians was named the NFL’s Coach of the Year after he became the Colts’ interim head coach. His work in Indianapolis led to his hiring in Arizona, where the Cardinals, who went 5-11 in 2012, are 21-10 since his arrival.

“I think so many times general managers and owners get caught up with who are being touted by the press,” Arians said. “But the problem with the young, hot energetic coach is he’s usually been in one system. And if that system fails, he doesn’t have any answers for it. He fails.

“So it helps to have a guy who’s been experienced in two or three different offensive or defensive systems. They have a heck of a lot more answers and have failed enough times — they know how to overcome.”

Former NFL coach Jim Mora, who hired Fangio as his linebackers coach with the Saints and his defensive coordinator with the Colts, believes Fangio’s candor hasn’t endeared him to personnel executives in the past. That is, Fangio has offered blunt critiques of players, which might have bruised the feelings of those responsible for bringing those players to the team.

That quality could work against Fangio with the 49ers, where Harbaugh’s likely exit has been traced to an inability to get along with CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke, who controls the 53-man roster.

But one of Fangio’s former players, NFL Network analyst Eric Davis, thinks it’s what Fangio hasn’t said that’s worked against him. Davis, a former 49ers cornerback who spent three seasons with Fangio with the Panthers, pointed to his low-key personality and aversion to self-promotion.

“I think so much is about a guy being the hot guy,” Davis said. “It’s about that personality that resonates, so when you make that hire everyone is comfortable with the name. They know who that guy is and how he’s going to be perceived by the press.

“It’s not always the guy who understands the X’s and O’s and can do the teaching. It’s the whole PR aspect of things. Vic hasn’t gotten that opportunity and part of the reason is he doesn’t do a lot of talking. He doesn’t seek attention.”

Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: ebranch@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Eric_Branch

Visit for Harbaugh reported

University of Michigan officials will be in the Bay Area this weekend as part of their pursuit of Jim Harbaugh, Fox Sports reported Friday.

Harbaugh’s alma mater has reportedly offered him a six-year, $49 million contract. On Tuesday, it wished him a happy 51st birthday via the football program’s Twitter account.

Asked Wednesday about the school’s public message, Harbaugh acted as if he hadn’t heard the question.

“And I wish you guys a very Merry Christmas,” he said to reporters.

This week, general manager Trent Baalke acknowledged Michigan had reached out to the 49ers in regard to Harbaugh, who is also expected to attract interest from the Raiders and other NFL teams.

The 49ers are expected to part ways with Harbaugh soon after their regular-season finale Sunday against Arizona. On Friday, right tackle Anthony Davis was asked about the future of the coaching staff. “I think everybody knows,” he said.

— Eric Branch