Arrowhead Addict
FanSided

Five moves that propelled the KC Chiefs to Super Bowl LIV

By Kelly Thompson

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 19: Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs holds up the Lamar Hunt trophy after defeating the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs defeated the Titans 35-24. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 19: Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs holds up the Lamar Hunt trophy after defeating the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs defeated the Titans 35-24. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next
GLENDALE, AZ – AUGUST 15: Defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton of the Kansas City Chiefs on the sidelines during the pre-season NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on August 15, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. The Chiefs defeated the Cardinals 34-19. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – AUGUST 15: Defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton of the Kansas City Chiefs on the sidelines during the pre-season NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on August 15, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. The Chiefs defeated the Cardinals 34-19. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

In the last 12 months, Chiefs leadership made a significant number of moves to leap to the Super Bowl. Here are five that made a real difference.

After falling literally inches short of Super Bowl LIII, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach vowed to be back in position to aim for Miami one year later. In doing so, they went all in on making drastic improvements to the defensive side of the ball in hopes to punching tickets to the big game.

While there are dozens of decisions that helped propel the Chiefs to this point, five moves stand out as being integral to the Chiefs AFC Championship and ultimately, in their trip to Super Bowl LIV.

For the purposes of our list, a move is loosely defined as changing the regular course of action of a team or acting in a way that is contrary to the norm.

5. The Experiment Ends

The Bob Sutton era in Kansas City started with such promise. For the first five years of Sutton’s tenure with the Chiefs starting in 2013, the team finished 5th, 2nd, 3rd and 7th in total points allowed. Unfortunately, it was downhill from there.

In his last two seasons in Kansas City, Sutton-led defenses were 15th and 24th in points allowed and a more dismal 28th and 31st in total yards allowed. This led many to beg the question: was Sutton’s early success a result of players held over from the previous regime? Regardless, it was clear to everyone that it was not working—a full 18 months before Sutton was finally relieved of his duties and after it cost the Chiefs a shot at Super Bowl LIII.

Exit Sutton, enter Steve Spagnuolo. Spags came to Kansas City during the offseason with a Super Bowl winning resume. However, he also came with a rather lengthy stint of underwhelming results and a disappointing head coaching tenure for the St. Louis Rams.

Then the defensive overhaul began. Spags came in with a new scheme (3-4 base of Sutton to 4-3 under Spags), and the team radically altered personnel to reflect that. The team cut perennial fan favorites Justin Houston and Eric Berry, moved the best cornerback on the roster back his more natural slot position (Kendall Fuller), invested a significant amount of capital in to free agent additions (including key contributors this season in Bashaud Breeland, Tyrann Mathieu (more later), Damien Wilson, Darron Lee, Alex Okafor), key trades in Frank Clark (more later) and Emmanuel Ogbah, and further bolstered the unit by drafting All-Rookie Team performer Juan Thornhill and defensive tackle Khalen Saunders. All told, Kansas City would start the season with eight new starters on defense.

It took some time for the unit to gel. Six weeks into the season and the Chiefs defensive performance left many fans wondering if they were watching a 2018 redux. Since that time, Kansas City has boasted one of the top ten defenses in all of football. They’ve been especially aggressive and successful since Week 11, a period of time which has seen the team go 8-0, including the playoffs.

While we can point to any number of differences under Spags that have the Chiefs in position to win their first Super Bowl since 1970, without a doubt the hiring of a defensive coordinator with a Super Bowl winning resume was the start of it all.

Home/Kansas City Chiefs News