Coming off back to back Super Bowl victories, the Kansas City Chiefs are making sure one of their key personnel will be with them for the long haul.
The Chiefs announced Wednesday that they had come to terms on a multi-year contract extension with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately made available.
The 64 year old became the first coordinator in NFL history with 4 Super Bowl victories, placing him amongst some of the best DC’s of all time. After arriving in Kansas City in 2019, the Chiefs have rattled off 3 championships in a 5 year span. Spagnuolo is largely credited with helping to mould the league’s youngest defensive unit (average age of 25.4 years old) into one of the leagues best over the past few seasons.
“Very grateful for the job that Spags did with the defensive side,” coach Andy Reid told reporters on Tuesday. “I thought that they were a great example to everybody of taking young guys, teaching them and watching them grow.”
KC’s run to another Lombardi trophy saw them hold 4 of the league’s top 6 scoring offences to an average of less than 16 points per game during the postseason. And while the team’s offence wasn’t its usual high flying self for stretches, the defensive side of the football is largely what allowed the club to become the first team in 20 years to go back-to-back in the big game.
But Spagnuolo’s extension wasn’t the only bit of good news Chiefs Kingdom got on Wednesday.
Following news of the extension, Chiefs DL Chris Jones made it clear he also intends to return to a Kansas City defence that ranked 2nd in points and yards allowed in 2023. “I need three of those rings baby,” Jones said. “We ain’t done yet. We ain’t done yet. Kansas City, we will be back here next year. And for those who want Chris Jones gone, I ain’t going nowhere, baby! Woo! I wanna be here this year, next year and the year after.”
With a young defensive core, Patrick Mahomes, and most of their key offensive contributors all coming back for 2024, Kansas City has opened with the 2nd best odds to win it all again in 2024 at +750 at most sports books.
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