Chiefs hire Steve Spagnuolo as new defensive coordinator

[TLO]

The #Chiefs are hiring Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator, sources say. The former #Giants DC and interim HC/#Rams HC began his NFL coaching career as an #Eagles assistant under Andy Reid. Now rejoins Big Red in KC.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 24, 2019

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by -King-

Again, is he part of the reason we have the front four we have now? Are they here because they fit his "type"? If so, then yes he does share part of the blame.

Frank Clark was hand picked by him.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Frank Clark was hand picked by him.

In hindsight that was a poor choice. At the time though it wasn’t. KC Clark is not Seattle Clark.

[BryanBusby]

Sure, but the lack of production up front is his own doing.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by -King-

Again, is he part of the reason we have the front four we have now? Are they here because they fit his "type"? If so, then yes he does share part of the blame.

Yep. Let's not pretend that Spags has had no input regarding personnel.

I'm not a Spags hater, but this idea that no one could do better is ridiculous. No one could possibly make better adjustments or be quicker to adjust? No one could prepare the team better or make better calls?

Sure, sure....

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

So basically you're saying that Spags is as good as any coordinator or future coordinator in the NFL.

That’s a big leap to say anyone is saying ANY coordinator.

Many are saying we could probably do better but we could also do way worse. This defense may not be stellar but spags the past few years isn’t nearly as bad as the critics are claiming he’s been. And his point is more than fair that not many are going to have a top defense with this much youth.

Now the pass rush issues may be a problem of his own creation. But that is a different story entirely.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

Yep. Let's not pretend that Spags has had no input regarding personnel.

I'm not a Spags hater, but this idea that no one could do better is ridiculous. No one could possibly make better adjustments or be quicker to adjust? No one could prepare the team better or make better calls?

Sure, sure....

Some of you guys weren't watching the Franchise at the beginning, I guess. In one of the first episodes, Veach describes how the Frank Clark thing happened between him and Spags. Basically, Veach put together a short list of possible DEs, and Spags said something to the effect of, "I like him (Clark), he can do a little of everything." Spags pointed out a couple other guys he liked, but between Frank's more multiple skillset and what it would take to get him, Veach went with Clark.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

That’s a big leap to say anyone is saying ANY coordinator.

Many are saying we could probably do better but we could also do way worse. This defense may not be stellar but spags the past few years isn’t nearly as bad as the critics are claiming he’s been. And his point is more than fair that not many are going to have a top defense with this much youth.

Now the pass rush issues may be a problem of his own creation. But that is a different story entirely.

Probably you're wasting your breath, but I applaud the effort.

It's funny, Spagnuoulo has two Rings, and in both Super Bowls you have to admit that his defenses were a big part of the W. Tom Brady has said in interviews that Spags' defense was the most difficult for him to read in any Super Bowl that he's played in. What is that, ten?

But that's not enough for Chief Fan.

He took a scrapyard of castoffs from Uncle Bob, guys like KPass and Ragland that Bob wouldn't even play, and remade them into viable rotational players. Added Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu, and in one year remade them into a SB winning defense. Started the season as the worst defense in the league and by week 12 they were a top 15 unit. By the playoffs they were top-5.

But he sucks.

Whatever. When every HC and OC in the league mentions Spags as one of the best DCs in the league, when a 7 time SB winner acknowledges Spags, that's probably a better barometer of his abilities than CP Chief Fan 9 times out of 10.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

That’s a big leap to say anyone is saying ANY coordinator.

Many are saying we could probably do better but we could also do way worse. This defense may not be stellar but spags the past few years isn’t nearly as bad as the critics are claiming he’s been. And his point is more than fair that not many are going to have a top defense with this much youth.

Now the pass rush issues may be a problem of his own creation. But that is a different story entirely.

Except that's exactly what he said.

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

If you think there's another defensive coordinator out there that would be doing a better job...

You're stupid.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Probably you're wasting your breath, but I applaud the effort.

It's funny, Spagnuoulo has two Rings, and in both Super Bowls you have to admit that his defenses were a big part of the W. Tom Brady has said in interviews that Spags' defense was the most difficult for him to read in any Super Bowl that he's played in. What is that, ten?

But that's not enough for Chief Fan.

He took a scrapyard of castoffs from Uncle Bob, guys like KPass and Ragland that Bob wouldn't even play, and remade them into viable rotational players. Added Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu, and in one year remade them into a SB winning defense. Started the season as the worst defense in the league and by week 12 they were a top 15 unit. By the playoffs they were top-5.

But he sucks.

Whatever. When every HC and OC in the league mentions Spags as one of the best DCs in the league, when a 7 time SB winner acknowledges Spags, that's probably a better barometer of his abilities than CP Chief Fan 9 times out of 10.

Sure but in his career overall as a DC, his defenses rank on average 19th in yards and 15th in points. Even Sutton's defenses were typically better being on average 19th in yards and 11th in points.

He's really been an average DC over the course of his career.

[CoMoChief]

Need to bring Jim Johnson back from the dead and reunite him w/ Reid.

Champions for next 10yrs.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by -King-

Sure but in his career overall as a DC, his defenses rank on average 19th in yards and 15th in points. Even Sutton's defenses were typically better being on average 19th in yards and 11th in points.

He's really been an average DC over the course of his career.

He literally built two separate top-5 defenses from scratch, including the one that was dead last the year before the NYG won LVII, against a prime TB, an undefeated Patriots team, and what might've been the greatest offensive unit in NFL history.

He did it again with the Giants a few years later, and then did it again with the Chiefs.

He's the only DC in NFL history to win a Ring with two separate teams.

Comparing him to Sutton is a hilariously bad take, especially when you look at Sutton's inability to even evaluate the players he had and didn't play while he was with the Chiefs. Sutton's defenses were only good when he had All-Pros all over the field. Spags has consistently been able to field good defenses with mostly nobodies.

But like I said, Chief Fans generally aren't terribly discerning.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

He literally built two separate top-5 defenses from scratch, including the one that was dead last the year before the NYG won LVII, against a prime TB, an undefeated Patriots team, and what might've been the greatest offensive unit in NFL history.

He did it again with the Giants a few years later, and then did it again with the Chiefs.

He's the only DC in NFL history to win a Ring with two separate teams.

Comparing him to Sutton is a hilariously bad take, especially when you look at Sutton's inability to even evaluate the players he had and didn't play while he was with the Chiefs. Sutton's defenses were only good when he had All-Pros all over the field. Spags has consistently been able to field good defenses with mostly nobodies.

But like I said, Chief Fans generally aren't terribly discerning.

Yeah because Spags never had all pros/hall of famers on those good defenses.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by -King-

Sure but in his career overall as a DC, his defenses rank on average 19th in yards and 15th in points. Even Sutton's defenses were typically better being on average 19th in yards and 11th in points.

He's really been an average DC over the course of his career.

But a surprisingly solid DC in the postseason. And until he actually costs us a season he deserves way more credit than he gets around here. Don’t get me wrong, he makes me nervous. But he has usually had the defense in good enough shape when we absolutely need him. And yeah he does deserve some grace in a season where we are asking him to do all this with an incredibly young secondary.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by -King-

Yeah because Spags never had all pros/hall of famers on those good defenses.

Lol, look at that defense the year before the LVII SB. They were around 25th. The following year they're top-10. And look at the beginning of that season and the stats, W/L, and tell me that anyone thought that was a top-10 defense. Because no one thought that. But they kept working, and by the end of the season they were a top-10 unit. that beat the best offense in NFL history. They allowed just two TDs in that SB.

Look at the STL defense when he got there. 30th, iirc. The following season, top 12.

Then he goes back to NYG, after one season with NOR, and takes that bottom third defense and makes them a top-third defense.

And so on.

I'm not saying he's the greatest ever, because he obviously has some flaws, but to say he isn't a top 10 DC is kind of ignorant. History is pretty clear about that.

[PAChiefsGuy]

I like the quote on kcchiefs.com for the Spags Press Conference this week.

"We ended up with more points than they did."

Geeze thanks for the brilliant insight Spags. Who knew?