The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Thursday that the club has hired former NFL head coach and long-time assistant coach Steve Spagnuolo as Defensive Coordinator.
“Steve is a bright defensive mind with a lot of coaching experience and success in our league,” Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid said. “I know him well from our time together in Philadelphia and I feel that his leadership skills and teaching abilities, combined with his scheme, will be a great fit for our team as we move forward.”
Spagnuolo joins the Chiefs with more than 36 years of coaching experience across the collegiate and professional ranks, including nearly two decades in the National Football League. Most recently, he served as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants (2015-17) and was named the Giants interim head coach for the final four weeks of the 2017 season. His three years coordinating New York’s defense marked his second stint in that role as he served as the Giants defensive coordinator from 2007-08. Spagnuolo’s defense helped lead the Giants to a 17-14 victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII following the 2007 season.
After his first stop with the Giants (2007-08), Spagnuolo was hired as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, where he spent three seasons at the helm (2009-11) and led the Rams to a six-game turnaround between 2009-10. Spagnuolo also had a stint as defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints (2012) and spent two seasons on the defensive staff of the Baltimore Ravens, first as a senior defensive assistant (2013) and then as assistant head coach/secondary coach (2014).
Spagnuolo broke into the NFL under Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid when Reid held the same position with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2012). Spagnuolo spent eight seasons (1999-2006) working on the defensive coaching staff in Philadelphia under the late Jim Johnson, holding the positions of defensive assistant/quality control coach (1999-2000), defensive backs coach (2001-03) and linebackers coach (2004-06). While with the Eagles, Spagnuolo was part of four consecutive NFC East titles, reached four straight conference title games and earned a Super Bowl appearance following the 2004 season.
A native of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, he attended Grafton (Mass.) High School, where he is a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Springfield College (Springfield, Mass.), where he was a two-year starter at wide receiver. He earned a master’s degree in sports management from the University of Massachusetts.
Spagnuolo is married to his wife, Maria. The couple established The Spagnuolo Foundation to give hope to youth who otherwise may not have the opportunity to pursue and achieve their dreams.
