According to Dan Graziano, the 49ers were interested in hiring away Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo to fill the same vacancy on their staff this offseason.
Graziano notes Spagnuolo was on the final year of his contract and so theoretically could have been available. As one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history, it obviously would have been a slam-dunk hire.
Instead, the Chiefs stepped up with an extension for Spagnuolo to keep him in Kansas City. Graziano says Spagnuolo’s new contract pays him more than $5 million per season, which is more than some head coaches were making in recent years.
Spagnuolo, 64, began his NFL coaching career with the Redskins as a player personnel intern in 1983. After several years coaching college and overseas, Spagnuolo was hired by the Eagles as a defensive assistant in 1999. He worked his way up to LBs coach before departing to become the Giants’ defensive coordinator in 2007.
The Rams would hire Spagnuolo as their head coach a few years later and he spent three seasons in St. Louis before he was fired after the 2011 season.
Spagnuolo had brief stints with the Saints and Ravens before returning to the Giants as their defensive coordinator in 2015. After Ben McAdoo was fired, the Giants promoted him to interim head coach in 2017, but he wound up sitting out the 2018 season.
From there, the Chiefs hired Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator for the 2019 season.
In 2023, Sapgnulou’s defense ranked No. 9 in fewest yards allowed, No. 15 in fewest points allowed, No. 19 in fewest rushing yards allowed and No. 6 in fewest passing yards allowed.
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