Steve Spagnuolo says whole team is affected by need at quarterback

The Kansas City Chiefs are making Steve Spaguolo’s job easier by having a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes already in place.

Steve Spagnuolo has a considerable challenge ahead as he seeks to turn around the fortunes of the Kansas City Chiefs defense for the last two seasons. As the team’s new defensive coordinator, he’s not only learning a new set of players but he’s also bringing together a new coaching staff to work with a stable offense and head coach in Andy Reid.

All that said, Spagnuolo recently admitted in an interview that a hard part was already done for him by coming to a team so set for the short and long-term at quarterback.

More from Arrowhead Addict

• Former Chiefs cornerback in legal trouble in Las Vegas
• Chiefs Kingdom: Get ready to break contract news
• Chiefs news: Travis Kelce wants to host fan ‘chug-off’ in Germany
• Podcast: Breaking down the Chiefs biggest roster battles
• KC Chiefs send Dave Merritt to NFL coaching accelerator

The Chiefs, of course, have the brightest young talent in the game at the most important position, and Spagnuolo’s recent comments make it clear that it’s a huge help for any defense to have a guy like Mahomes in place. And just as important, he says, is to have a key leader like Andy Reid behind it all.

"I think you won’t talk to a defensive coach in the NFL that doesn’t say they’d like to be on a team with A) a really good head football coach, and B) a really good quarterback. We all know in today’s football in this league if you don’t have that position, you don’t feel good about that position the quarterback, you’re always looking for one and the whole rest of the team is affected when you’re looking for it."

Those aspects are not enough by themselves, as illustrated by Bob Sutton’s inability to keep his job after six seasons in Kansas City. However, Spagnuolo certainly sounds like he has a vision for what to do when given such an offense to rely upon. If the former Giants defensive coordinator had any doubts about returning to coaching after a year off, it sounds like Kansas City was the ideal sort of place to come calling given how much of a winning foundation is already in place.

Spagnuolo was recently hired to take over for Sutton in early February. He’s won a Super Bowl ring in 2007 with the New York Giants and served as head coach of the St. Louis Rams for three seasons from 2009-11.