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Steve Spagnuolo enters his fourth season with the Chiefs as defensive coordinator in 2022.

Steve Spagnuolo enters his fourth season with the Chiefs as defensive coordinator in 2022.

Steve Spagnuolo's 2021 defense saw some new faces as well as some returning contributors as it established itself en route to the club's sixth-consecutive AFC West title and a return to the AFC Championship game. After a slow start early in the season, the Chiefs defense went on a 10-game stretch allowing only 14.3 points per game, which led the NFL. In addition, the defense held five opponent to 10 points or fewer en route to ranking ninth in total points allowed. For the third year in a row, Spagnuolo's defense ranked in the top 10 in takeaways, finishing fifth in the NFL. S Tyrann Mathieu continued to be a key leader on this defense ranking third on the team with 76 tackles. Mathieu added 1.0 sack (-11 yards), three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. DT Chris Jones logged a team-high 9.0 sacks (-65.5 yards) and earned an NFL Defensive Player of the Week honor following Week 11. His inside presence helped the defense to rank ninth in the NFL for QB hurries. Both Mathieu and Jones were selected to the Pro Bowl following the season. Rookie LB Nick Bolton led the team with 112 tackles, including 11 for a loss as he was named the club's Mack Lee Hill award winner as the team's best rookie or first-year player, an award voted on by his teammates. Bolton also earned the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month honor in October. The club traded for LB Melvin Ingram in Week 9. Ingram proved himself a force on this defense adding 15 tackles and 1.0 sack (-7 yards).

The 2020 Chiefs defense held opponents to 22.6 points per game and allowed 20 points or fewer in nine contests en route to the team's second-consecutive Super Bowl appearance. As a unit, the defense sacked opposing QBs 32 times, forced 16 interceptions and six fumble recoveries. The Chiefs scored 67 points off 22 takeaways and finished ranked 10th in QB rating. S Tyrann Mathieu led the team with six interceptions, and DT Chris Jones led the team in sacks for the third-straight season with 7.5 sacks. Mathieu, Jones and DE Frank Clark earned Pro Bowl honors. Jones also was named First-Team All-Pro.

In his first season as defense coordinator of the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs, Spagnuolo oversaw a defense that ranked in the top 10 in several categories: points allowed (7th, 19.3), takeaways (T-10th, 23), red zone touchdown percentage (T-9th, 50.9), QB passer rating (5th, 80.8), yards per pass attempt (6th, 6.67) and 20-plus yard plays (T-10th, 55). In 2019, the defense logged five-consecutive games holding the opposing team to 17 points or fewer, including two-consecutive games holding the opposing team to just three points or fewer. After returning from the bye week in Week 13, the Chiefs defense held opposing teams to just 10.4 points per game for the final five games of the season. In Super Bowl LIV, Spagnuolo's defense stopped three consecutive drives allowing just 58 total yards, which gave QB Patrick Mahomes the field position to score the final 21 points, sealing a Chiefs 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. In his first season with the Chiefs, S Tyrann Mathieu recorded a team-high four interceptions and 12 passes defensed. For the second-consecutive season, DT Chris Jones tallied the most sacks on the Chiefs defense with 9.0. Two members of the Chiefs 2019 defense were nominated for the Pro Bowl following the season, DT Chris Jones and DE Frank Clark. Mathieu was named First-Team All-Pro as defensive back.

Prior to joining the Chiefs, Spagnuolo served as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants for three seasons (2015-17) and was named the Giants interim head coach for the final four weeks of the 2017 season. In 2016, the Giants fielded the NFL's most-improved defense, one that was a catalyst behind the team's 11-5 record and first postseason berth in five years. Spagnuolo's defense achieved top-10 rankings in 12 statistical categories, including a top-five ranking in eight critical statistical categories during the 2016 season: touchdowns allowed (first), red zone efficiency (first), points allowed per game (second), opposing quarterback rating (second), yards allowed per rush (second), third-down efficiency (third), completion percentage (third), and first downs allowed per game (fifth). His three years coordinating New York's defense marked his second stint in that role as he served as the Giants defensive coordinator from 2007-08. Spagnuolo's defense helped lead the Giants to a 17-14 victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII following the 2007 season holding Tom Brady and the NFL's top offense to 274 total yards, including just 45 yards rushing and 229 net passing yards and did not allow a completion over 19 yards.

After his first stop with the Giants (2007-08), Spagnuolo was hired as head coach of the St. Louis Rams, where he spent three seasons at the helm (2009-11) and led the Rams to a six-game turnaround between 2009-10. Spagnuolo also had a stint as defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints (2012) where he led a unit that finished with 15 interceptions, including four that were returned for touchdowns, and forced 11 fumbles to help the Saints finish with a plus-two turnover differential. Following New Orleans he spent two seasons on the defensive staff of the Baltimore Ravens, first as a senior defensive assistant (2013) and then as assistant head coach/secondary coach (2014).

Spagnuolo broke into the NFL under Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid when Reid held the same position with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2012). Spagnuolo spent eight seasons (1999-2006) working on the defensive coaching staff in Philadelphia under the late Jim Johnson, holding the positions of defensive assistant/quality control coach (1999-2000), defensive backs coach (2001-03) and linebackers coach (2004-06). While with the Eagles, Spagnuolo was part of four consecutive NFC East titles, reached four straight conference title games and earned a Super Bowl appearance following the 2004 season.

A native of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, he attended Grafton (Mass.) High School, where he is a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. He earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Springfield College (Springfield, Mass.), where he was a two-year starter at wide receiver. He earned a master's degree in sports management from the University of Massachusetts. Spagnuolo and his wife Maria established The Spagnuolo Foundation to give hope to youth who otherwise may not have the opportunity to pursue and achieve their dreams.

Education: Springfield College (B.S. 1982); University of Massachusetts (M.S. 1983). Born: Whitinsville, Mass. Family: Wife - Maria.