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Kansas City Chiefs failed to hire away Antonio Pierce as linebackers coach

By Matt Conner

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 25: Antonio Pierce #58 of the New York Giants gets the crowd going against the Arizona Cardinals on October 25, 2009 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 25: Antonio Pierce #58 of the New York Giants gets the crowd going against the Arizona Cardinals on October 25, 2009 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /
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The Kansas City Chiefs couldn’t sway Antonio Pierce from leaving his current job at Arizona State to be their new linebackers coach.

The Kansas City Chiefs have swung and missed on their first reported attempt to land a new linebackers coach after hiring Steve Spagnuolo to take over as defensive coordinator. Alex Marvez reported on Saturday that former New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce decided against coming to work for Kansas City after being approached about the job.

Pierce would be a perfect fit as a longtime productive NFL veteran who thrived in Spagnuolo’s system. Pierce played for the Giants from 2005-2009, and the pair won a Super Bowl together as part of the 2007 squad that defeated the New England Patriots. Last season, Pierce joined former Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards at Arizona State University as their linebackers coach, and it’s clear he’s enjoying his time there because that’s where he’s decided to stay.

The Chiefs are without a linebackers coach after losing both to teams in the NFC North last week. The Green Bay Packers hired away outside linebackers coach Mike Smith after he spent the last few years with the Chiefs. Inside linebackers coach Mark Deleone landed the same exact position with the Chicago Bears under head coach Matt Nagy, the former offensive coordinator for the Chiefs.

While Spagnuolo has plenty of time ahead to get his coaching staff together, it is a bit odd that some of these decisions weren’t already made. Many coaches will get commitments in advance on matters like this, but clearly, Spagnuolo never got an official yes from Pierce—or perhaps the coach had a change of heart. Either way, the Chiefs are now going to need to turn elsewhere in the coming days for a new role.

Lots of voices could call for Derrick Johnson to return to coaching, but it’s unclear whether he wants to continue his playing career at this point and if he would be a good coach for a system he never played in. It might be best to add DJ, whenever he is ready, as a quality control or assistant linebackers coach to begin his coaching tenure.

Next. Meet the new Chiefs futures signings. dark

Pierce played in 124 career games in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and New York Giants and made the Pro Bowl in 2006.

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