Steve Spagnuolo is a four-time Super Bowl winner as a defensive coordinator, with three of his titles coming during his run with the Chiefs. He will remain in Kansas City moving forward, but he still has head coaching aspirations. 
Spagnuolo spent the 2023 campaign in a contract year, but his unit delivered the best performance of his tenure en route to a second straight title. Kansas City allowed under 25 points in 20 of the team’s 21 games this year, marking a new all-time record in that regard. To no surprise, Spagnuolo was rewarded with an extension shortly after the Super Bowl. When asked about a hypothetical return to a head coaching position, though, he confirmed it is still on his radar.
“I’ve been asked this question a lot, I’ll answer it the same way,” Spagnuolo said during an appearance on Mad Dog Sports Radio. “Absolutely would want to. We’re prideful guys in this business. It wasn’t a success when I was in St. Louis, although I think what gets lost in this is… in that second year in 2010, had we won the last game of the season we’re in the playoffs and hosting a playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. It didn’t happen, then we hit the lockout and things didn’t go well and we were gone.
“The answer to the question is yes, but I always follow up with this. If it never happens and it’s God’s will that I continue to do what I’m doing, I’m a blessed man.”
Spagnuolo went 10-38 with the Rams, and his only other NFL head coaching position came on an interim basis with the Giants after Ben McAdoo was fired in 2017. The 64-year-old has said in the past that he would welcome another HC opportunity, but his latest Chiefs contract will delay his chance to take charge of a roster at a minimum. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid‘s future has been a matter of speculation for multiple years, but he will remain in place for at least one more season.
Being promoted as Reid’s replacement could provide Spagnuolo with a path to another head coaching gig, but no firm timeline exists on when that could take place. For now, he and the Chiefs will set out on an offseason aimed at keeping the franchise poised for another title run.
Some assistant coaches just aren’t cut out to be head coaches, and he’s one of them. Terrific DC but with his age and another great Defensive mind belichick along with Carroll who wants to coach again. Owners and GM’s won’t be interested in the old codgers
You’re right. Out w/ the old and in w/ the new.
Steve is not a head coach, he is a terrific DC though!!!
Last week on Twitter, Kevin Demoff was saying that Spagnuolo deserves another HC shot and shouldn’t be judged by how things went with the Rams. He said Spags was dealt a mess of an organization and roster, then had to deal with a lockout and ownership change. I don’t know if I would be excited to have my team hire him, but he’s an outstanding game planner, which bodes well for a head coach, and Demoff raved about his culture building. That’s a great combination of strengths for a HC.
He may get another shot as a hope to weaken KC. If Josh McDaniels got multiple shots after sucking and then ditching a team, I don’t see why Spags may not.
Reid is going to coach as long as he can with Mahomes so I don’t see him doing coach in waiting.
At 64 it’s almost impossible to imagine a team wanting to gamble on him. He’s not going to be a long term solution and has no track record of HC success. He’s got a better shot in the UFL than NFL.
The rumor mill tends to favor offensive minded coaches and youthful coaches. He absolutely deserves another chance when he’s ready for one, but after St Louis disaster, I think he realizes his best option is to stay in KC where Andy is asked every year if he’s coming back.
I really don’t think anyone will ever hire him as a HC again. He had two opportunities and failed each time. He’s a great DC no doubt about that.
I don’t think I’d consider interim coach on a terrible Giants team to be a failure.