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Steve Spagnuolo enters his fifth season as the Chiefs defensive coordinator in 2023. He owns three Super Bowl rings (XLII, LIV, LVII) as a defensive coordinator making him the sole coordinator in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises (Giants '07, Chiefs '19, '22).

Steve Spagnuolo enters his fifth season as the Chiefs defensive coordinator in 2023. He owns three Super Bowl rings (XLII, LIV, LVII) as a defensive coordinator making him the sole coordinator in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises (Giants '07, Chiefs '19, '22).

Spagnuolo's 2022 defense achieved a top three ranking in four critical categories: QB hits (1st, 198), sacks (2nd, 55.0 sacks, -388 yards), QB pressures (2nd, 241) and 3rd downs of 2+ yards (3rd). His defense also ranked top 10 in several other categories: yards per play (8th, 5.1), rushing yards per game (8th, 107.2) and opponent plays of 20+ yards (2nd, 52 plays). In the season's final 10 games, Spagnuolo's unit ranked in the top 10 in the following: opponent yards per pass attempt (2nd), opponent plays of 20+ yards allowed (2nd), yards allowed per play (3rd), yards allowed per game (5th), opponent net passing yards allowed per game (6th) and points allowed per game (9th). In the final eight games, his defense allowed only 18 opponent plays of 20+ yards which was the second fewest in the league.

Spagnuolo had plenty of youth on his 2022 defense with eight total defensive rookies. These rookies handled 25 percent of the defensive snaps this season which was third most in the league. The defensive rookie class set the second highest snap percentage in NFL history for a team to reach the Super Bowl. All eight took the field for Super Bowl LVII - the most defensive rookies in Super Bowl history, including three starters (DE George Karlaftis, CB Trent McDuffie & CB Jaylen Watson). As a rookie, Karlaftis made an immediate impact and recorded 6.0 sacks, the fifth most in a rookie season in franchise history. He added seven passes defensed and 11 quarterback hits. CB L'Jarius Sneed and S Juan Thornhill led the team with three interceptions a piece. Sneed showcased his versatility as he notched a career-high 3.5 sacks. Second-year LB Nick Bolton broke the Chiefs record for single season tackles with 180 tackles and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in Super Bowl LVII. In his seventh year, DT Chris Jones had one of his most productive seasons with 15.5 sacks, tying his career-high and bringing his career total to 65.0, which is second-most in the NFL amongst DTs. Jones was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl, 2022 AFC Defensive Player of the Year Award as well as being named to the AP All-Pro (first-team). Jones and Bolton were both voted by their teammates to be 2022 playoff captains.

In 2021 the Chiefs defense went on a 10-game stretch allowing only 14.3 points per game, which led the NFL and held five opponents to 10 points or fewer 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. Jones logged a team-high 9.0 sacks (-65.5 yards) and his inside presence helped the defense to rank ninth in the NFL for QB hurries and earned him Pro Bowl recognition. A rookie, 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.

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 forced 16 interceptions and six fumble recoveries enabling 67 points off 22 takeaways. S Tyrann Mathieu led the team with six interceptions, and 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 defensive coordinator of the eventual 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 teams to no more than 17 points, two-consecutive games allowing no more than three points and in the final five games allowed no more than 10.4 points from their opposition. 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. Two members of the Chiefs 2019 defense were nominated for the Pro Bowl following the season, Jones and Clark.

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 (1st), red zone efficiency (1st), points allowed per game (2nd), opposing quarterback rating (2nd), yards allowed per rush (2nd), third-down efficiency (3rd), completion percentage (3rd), and first downs allowed per game (5th). 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 no completion greater than 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, have a passion for philanthropy and maintain a strong commitment to giving back to both their Philadelphia and Kansas City communities. The Spagnuolos have a particular passion for supporting under privileged youth and annually support causes that provide physical and emotional aid to youth and people with disabilities, including the Northern Children Home (Philadelphia), Inglis House (Philadelphia) and the Salvation Army (Kansas City and Philadelphia).

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