The Kansas City Chiefs have gone through several evolutions in their recent run of NFL dominance, seeing key players come and go on both sides of the football. The consistent force through recent years has come from the top, with the lead offensive, defensive and special teams coaches leading the way.
It should be easy to argue that the Chiefs boast the best coaching staff in football, and one national analyst has done exactly that.
In a ranking of the NFL’s top five coaching staffs, Bucky Brooks of NFL Media put the Chiefs at No. 1.
“No surprise here,” Brooks began. “When you’re vying for a three-peat — and have won three Super Bowls in the past five seasons — you’re probably doing something right. The Chiefs have climbed to the top rung of the NFL ladder with a collection of coaches who are masterful football minds.
“Andy Reid is the greatest coach in the game today, with an innovative playbook that transforms quarterbacks into stars. Dating back to his days in Philadelphia, the coaching veteran has routinely crafted game plans and call sheets that enable his QB1s to maximize their abilities while minimizing the potential damage of their shortcomings. Though he is currently coaching a generational talent in Patrick Mahomes, Reid has been able to tweak his scheme to help the quarterback win with or without a stellar supporting cast.”
While Brooks is absolutely right to give Reid credit as the architect of the Chiefs’ offense (and truly, Kansas City’s entire active dynasty), offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has received some interest in the 2025 coaching carousel while the former Chicago Bears head coach continues his second stint as Chiefs OC.
Coaching the other sides of the ball, Brooks also sees a pair of the league’s best.
“Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and special teams coordinator Dave Toub are elite unit leaders who understand how to get the most out of their personnel with clever tactics,” Brooks continued. “Spagnuolo is a blitzing specialist with an encyclopedia of exotic pressures that keep quarterbacks guessing within the pocket. Considering how Toub challenges opponents with innovative and aggressive kicking-game schemes, it is not a coincidence the Chiefs have won 11 one-score games this season, allowing them to snag the No. 1 seed in their pursuit of an unprecedented feat: three straight Super Bowl titles.”
Spagnuolo has reportedly interviewed for three head coaching jobs after another impressive season at the helm of the Chiefs’ defense. While the 65-year-old defensive coach may not be the most trendy type of head coaching candidate, the NFL appears to be acknowledging Spagnuolo’s status among the best defensive minds in the game.
