Assessing Steve Spagnuolo case to be the greatest NFL defensive coordinator of all time

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Steve Spagnuolo entered an exclusive class when the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl last Sunday.

KC’s thrilling 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers was the fourth Super Bowl ring for Spags as a defensive coordinator.

That’s more than anyone at his post, but is that enough to make him the greatest defensive minds this game has ever seen?

What Spagnuolo has achieved as a defensive coordinator

As impressive as the Chiefs offense were throughout the postseason, this team probably wouldn’t have even made the playoffs if not for Steve Spagnuolo’s outstanding defense.

What’s especially impressive is that Spags wasn’t working with many seasoned veterans; in fact, quite the contrary.

That group of youngsters, though, were quick studies and became probably the best Chiefs defense since Andy Reid became head coach.

Given his track record, though, it shouldn’t be a big surprise to see a Spagnuolo-led defense shine.

The 2007 New York Giants were a top-10 defensive unit with Spags as defensive coordinator, leading the NFL in sacks.

Spags’ defense stymied Tom Brady and the undefeated New England Patriots, sacking the G.O.A.T. five times and pulling off one of the biggest Super Bowl upsets ever.

Until this season, his Chiefs defense outside of Chris Jones wasn’t getting much attention, but they were still pretty solid.

In only one of the Chiefs’ three Super Bowl victories since 2019 has the Spags’ defense finished the regular season outside the top 10 (11th in 2019).

Spagnuolo loves to bring the heat, so it’s unsurprising that the Chiefs were second in team sacks over the past two regular seasons.

During the 2023 regular season, Kyle Shanahan’s offense in San Francisco averaged 28.9 points per game.

In the Super Bowl, they could only manage 22 on Spagnuolo’s defense, while the league’s leading rusher, Christian McCaffrey averaged just 3.6 yards per carry.

As a defensive coordinator Spagnuolo has proven he can keep his defensive unit consistent, while also enabling them to thrive in big moments.

Where Spagnulo ranks among the greatest defensive coordinators

While no one’s won more Super Bowls as a defensive coordinator than Spags, many outsiders didn’t consider him among the best ever before this season.

After the season the Chiefs’ defense just had though it’s caused more people to examine his resume for understandable reasons.

When you think of genius defensive coordinators, names like Bill Belichick during his days with the New York Giants, along with Pittsburgh’s Dick LeBeau and Bud Carson, should come to mind.

Belichick was a defensive coordinator during the days of Bill Parcells in New York, with defensive freaks like Lawrence Taylor helping them win two Super Bowls.

LeBeau won a pair of Super Bowls with an incredible Steelers defense with players like James Harrison and Troy Polamalu in the 2000s.

Carson modernized pass coverages, using a relatively unknown Cover 2 format with two deep safeties and five underneath defenders, meaning three linebackers and two cornerbacks.

His 1974 Steelers gave up 13.5 points per game in 1974, winning the Super Bowl.

For my money, Spags deserves to be, at the very least, in the Mount Rushmore of NFL defensive coordinators.

What his defense did across the board in 2023 will be hard to duplicate.

His NFL head coaching resume is a disaster (11-41), but he’s proven to be one of the best defensive minds in the game today and perhaps ever.