After a gutsy 27-19 win against the Houston Texans on Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid celebrated their 14th win. In a nonchalant way that only Reid can display, he noted during his post-game speech that it was defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s birthday.
A raucous round of applause and cheers rang out, and the locker room spontaneously broke out into song, singing “Happy Birthday” for the 65-year-old coach. A four-time Super Bowl champion, “Spags,” as he’s often called, has been with the Chiefs’ coaching staff since 2019 and has coached across the NFL, including stints with the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints and more.
Got the dub for Spags birthday! 🎂 pic.twitter.com/WsKCzGucGt
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 21, 2024
Spagnuolo is a disciple of Jim Johnson, the late Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator known for his aggressive, blitz-heavy coaching style. Spagnuolo led the New York Giants defense to victory in 2007’s Super Bowl XLII over the New England Patriots and is the only coordinator in NFL history, either on offense or defense, to win Super Bowls with two different franchises.
A 1980 graduate of Springfield College, where he played wide receiver, Spagnuolo started coaching at UMass in 1981 as a graduate assistant. In 1983, he was a player personnel intern with the Washington Commanders. After several years in the college coaching ranks, he joined the Eagles in 1999 as a defensive assistant. From 2009 to 2011, he was the head coach of the Rams.
The Chiefs (14-1), now 8-0 at home, will play the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Christmas.
