Andy Reid has already won the Super Bowl three times at the helm of the Kansas City Chiefs, but it’s safe to say that his success wouldn’t have been possible without Steve Spagnuolo‘s contribution on the defensive side of the ball. Therefore, it’s no surprise to see him draw interest from other NFL teams.
With many teams already eliminated from Super Bowl contention, the coaching cycle for the 2025 NFL season has already started. And the Chiefs defensive coordinator is one of the most requested names around the league.
Spagnuolo has already had interviews with the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Las Vegas Raiders for their head coaching openings, and it is possible that even more offers come his way.
Needless to say, this is not an ideal situation for the Chiefs, who want to avoid distractions in their pursuit of a third consecutive Super Bowl title. Spagnuolo, however, made it clear to Reid and everyone in Kansas City that he’s completely focused about his current responsibilities at Arrowhead.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo talks with head coach Andy Reid in a practice session prior to Super Bowl LVII at Arizona State University Practice Facility on February 09, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. The Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023 at State Farm Stadium.
“I’m a tunnel vision guy,” Spagnuolo told reporters on Wednesday (via Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports) when asked about his head coaching interviews, letting everyone know that he’s not thinking about anything else than winning another ring alongside Reid.
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Spagnuolo admits wanting another opportunity to be a HC
Spagnuolo, 65, has been working with Reid in Kansas City since 2019, when he was hired to run the team’s defense. The unit has been excellent since then, and it obviously made him a constant candidate for head coaching jobs in the NFL.
The Massachusetts native, however, has so far turned down every opportunity to leave the Chiefs for another job. Spags already boasts experience as a head coach, having helmed the St. Louis Rams from 2009 to 2011 before overseeing the New York Giants on an interim basis in 2017.
Spagnuolo is clearly happy with his job on Reid’s staff, though he admitted before the 2024 NFL regular season finale that he’d like to work as a head coach again: “I mean, I’ll deal with that later. Listen, yeah, the answer is yes but right now, it’s all about Denver. I hadn’t even thought about that road until you just mentioned it. I’ll let all of that take care of itself.”
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Andy Reid supports Steve Spagnuolo getting HC opportunities
Far from being upset with Spagnuolo for having interviews with other NFL teams, Reid has shown nothing but support for his assistant, claiming that Spags is more than capable of being a head coach in the league.
“You know this from what I’ve said before: I think both of them deserve an opportunity again to be head coaches,” Reid said of Spagnuolo and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who is also on other teams’ radar. “They’re obviously getting some play here, so other people recognize that, too. We’ll just see where it goes. I know they’re focused on taking care of business now here and then looking at these other things.”
