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Chiefs hire Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator

Published: Jan 24, 2019 at 09:46 AM

Jeremy Bergman

Digital Content Editor

The Kansas City Chiefs spent just two days without a defensive coordinator.

Just over 50 hours after firing Bob Sutton in the wake of its AFC Championship Game defeat, Kansas City announced it hired Steve Spagnuolo as its next defensive coordinator.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo first reported the news.

Spagnuolo spent 2018 out of football after serving three years with the New York Giants as defensive coordinator and interim head coach. Among the highlights on Spags' lengthy resume: Giants defensive coordinator (2007-08), Rams head coach (2009-11) and Saints defensive coordinator (2012).

The 59-year-old coach also previously coached defensive backs and linebackers under Chiefs coach Andy Reid in Philadelphia from 1999 to 2006.

In Kansas City, Spagnuolo inherits one of the league's worst defenses statisically. The Chiefs finished 31st in yards per game (405.5) and passing YPG (273.4), 27th in rushing YPG (132.1) and 24th in points allowed per game (26.3) and 26th in Football Outsiders' Defensive DVOA. Kansas City boasts a ferocious pass rush with Justin Houston, Chris Jones and free agent-to-be Dee Ford leading the charge, but is lacking in the secondary.

Spags' Giants defenses from 2015 to 2017 experienced one stellar season in 2016, when it allowed the second-fewest points in the league and propelled Big Blue to the playoffs, and two underwhelming campaigns in which they ranked 32nd in yards allowed per game in 2015 and 31st in 2017.

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