Two days after his defense was unable to stop Tom Brady in overtime, Bob Sutton has been fired.
The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday that the defensive coordinator was relieved of his duties.
"Bob is a good football coach and a great person," coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "He played an integral role in the success of our team over the last six seasons. I've said before that change can be a good thing, for both parties, and I believe that is the case here for the Chiefs and Bob. This was not an easy decision, but one I feel is in the best interest of the Kansas City Chiefs moving forward."
The longtime assistant coach joined K.C. when Reid took over in 2013. Sutton had spent the previous 13 seasons with the New York Jets as a linebackers coach, DC, senior defensive assistant and associate head coach.
Reid had long defended Sutton, despite defensive struggles the past two seasons. In 2018 the Chiefs allowed 405.5 yards per game in the regular season, second-most in the NFL, and 26.3 points per game, ninth-worst. The past two seasons, K.C. ranked 26th and 30th in DVOA, according to Football Outsiders metrics.
Sunday's 37-31 overtime loss to Tom Brady and the Patriots was the final salvo for Sutton in K.C. The Chiefs allowed three straight touchdown drives to end the game, including giving up three third-and-10 plays to Brady on the game-winning TD drive in overtime. Sutton's D allowed 524 total yards, 348 passing yards, 176 rushing yards and an outrageous 13 of 19 on third downs, and generated zero sacks and just one QB hit in the AFC Championship loss at Arrowhead Stadium.
It's an interesting dynamic to ponder whether Sutton would have a job in K.C. in 2019 if linebacker Dee Fordhad lined up onside on a potential game-changing interception that was wiped away.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that over the past few days, the Chiefs talked with players and coaches about Sutton, whose lack of adjustments had been a non-stop frustration.
With a high-flying offense behind Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill, and some playmakers on defense, including Chris Jones and Dee Ford (if he returns), the Chiefs' newly opened defensive coordinator position should be an attractive landing spot in the coming weeks.
