While glory goes to ‘O,’ Spags’ ‘D’ makes KC go
Among those standing atop the onfield podium after the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII were the star-powered trio of Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and Travis Kelce.
Mahomes, having just engineered his latest game-winning drive to clinch his third championship, was named Super Bowl MVP.
Reid, the offensive-genius coach who dialed up the perfect play call on Kansas City’s walk-off touchdown, pumped his first to an adoring crowd.
Kelce, who led all players with 93 receiving yards, cheerfully shouted about fighting for the “right to party” as his girlfriend, pop superstar Taylor Swift, clapped on the field below.
Even Mecole Hardman, the one-time Jets receiver who caught the game-winner for Kansas City, earned a spot on the stage.
None of them would have been there, though, if not for Steve Spagnuolo and his dominant Chiefs defense.
Sunday’s 25-22 victory in overtime over the NFC’s top-seeded 49ers capped a 2023 season in which the Chiefs, largely devoid of a big-play offensive weapon since trading Tyreek Hill to Miami two years ago, leaned more than ever about their defensive coordinator Spagnuolo.
Spagnuolo’s defense surrendered the NFL’s second-fewest yards (289.8) and points (17.3 points) per game in the regular season, often carrying a Kansas City offense that ranked 15th in scoring with a pedestrian 21.8 points per game.
That Chiefs defense – led by interior force Chris Jones; tackling machine Nick Bolton; and dynamic cornerback duo L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie – upped its game even further in the postseason, holding four of the NFL’s top-six offenses in the Dolphins, Bills, Ravens and 49ers to an average of 15.8 points per game.
“This year, I was just blessed with some high-character, high-football-IQ guys,” Spagnuolo told NFL Network after Sunday’s win. “The saddest thing for me right now is I’m not going to have a meeting with them next week, because I love being around them. They talk about trust. I have all the trust in the world in them.”
Known for his innovative blitz packages, Spagnuolo is now the only coordinator on either side of the ball to win four Super Bowls. His first came with the 2007 Giants, who rode a devastating pass rush provided by Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck to an upset win over Tom Brady and the previously undefeated Patriots. Sunday marked Spagnuolo’s third title with Kansas City, which also won after the 2019 and 2022 seasons.
This year, Spagnuolo got the most out of a balanced defensive group that, beyond the two-time All-Pro selection Jones, boasted few household names. Kansas City finished second in the NFL with 57 sacks, despite no one on the roster recording more than 10.5.
Spangnuolo’s 19.9% defensive back blitz rate ranked third in the NFL in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus, helping to generate pressure in lieu of a prototypical star edge rusher. The Chiefs’ 16 sacks on unblocked pressures led the NFL, according to PFF, demonstrating the disruptions that Spangnuolo’s scheme can create.
Sneed, in particular, emerged as a weapon through his ability to lock onto an opponent’s No. 1 wide receiver. Limiting the damage from top playmakers became a theme of these playoffs for Kansas City. The NFL’s leading receiver, Miami’s Hill, totaled 62 yards in a first-round loss to the Chiefs. The next week, Stefon Diggs managed only 21 yards.
The Chiefs then held Lamar Jackson, who won his second MVP in 2023, to a season-low 54.1% completion percentage, while his top-seeded Ravens scored only 10 points in the AFC Championship Game.
In the Super Bowl, San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey – the NFL Offensive Player of the Year – lost a rare fumble and averaged 3.6 yards per carry. Deebo Samuel finished with 41 total yards; Brandon Aiyuk 49; and George Kittle ended up with four.
The Chiefs trailed at halftime, 10-3, but outscored the Niners, 22-12, in the second half and in overtime. McDuffie especially stood out, making several crucial pass breakups against Samuel, a 2021 first-team All-Pro selection.
“Coach Spags’ big thing in the second half was he told us (defensive backs) he was going to rely on us heavily in the man-to-man situations,” McDuffie said afterward, according to The Kansas City Star. “So I trusted my brothers and trusted my technique and being confident in who I am.”
With the game tied and under two minutes remaining, a blitzing McDuffie forced an incompletion from Niners quarterback Brock Purdy on 3rd and 4.
“Coach Spags dialed it up and every time he dials up a blitz for me, I know it’s gonna work,” McDuffie said.