Kansas City Chiefs hire Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator

The Kansas City Chiefs have hired Steve Spagnuolo as their new defensive coordinator on Thursday.

Spagnuolo has replaced Bob Sutton, who was fired as the defensive coordinator on Tuesday following their 37-31 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game last Sunday.

The 59-year-old was out of the NFL in 2018 after serving as interim head coach of the New York Giants for the last four games of the 2017 season in place of the fired Ben McAdoo, posting a 1-3 record.

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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said in a statement: "Steve is a bright defensive mind with a lot of coaching experience and success in our league.

"I know him well from our time together in Philadelphia and I feel that his leadership skills and teaching abilities, combined with his scheme, will be a great fit for our team as we move forward."

Spagnuolo served on Reid's staff in Philadelphia from 1999-2006, climbing the ladder from defensive assistant to defensive backs coach to linebackers coach.

He then jumped to the Giants as a defensive coordinator in 2007, winning a Super Bowl in his first year.

The former St Louis Rams [now Los Angeles Rams] head coach has been a defensive coordinator in two stints with the Giants (2007-08, 2015-17), plus one year with the New Orleans Saints (2012).

He also spent two years as an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens (2013-14).

In four of his last five seasons as a coordinator, Spagnuolo's units have ranked 31st or worse in yards allowed and 27th or worse in points allowed.

The exception was the 2016 Giants, who finished 10th in yards and second in points.

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