If there is one thing that every championship-winning defense has had under Steve Spagnuolo, it's an experienced leader at the top of the secondary. Coincidentally, last year's Chiefs team was missing both the veteran pillar and the Lombardi trophy at the end of the season.
Since Spagnuolo came to Kansas City, he's had the perfect workhorses at that key position for three-year stretches Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu and Justin Reid. Then came the 2025-26 season: an extremely young secondary, a final record of 6-11, and the first non-playoff season since he arrived in 2019.
Nobody has made the safety and cornerback position as integral as Spags over the years, and when looking at his championship teams, it's easy to see why.
Spags' history makes Sneed a perfect fit
The only coordinator in NFL history to win four Super Bowls, Spags has always relied on his veteran leaders at safety and corner when possible. When he has had such a healthy, reliable player, it's led to sustained success.
It makes sense when looking at his history, too. After college and interning with the Redskins, Spags began as a defensive backs coach at three of his first five jobs before standing on the NFL's sidelines in 1999. This is one of the main reasons why the 67-year-old coach relies so heavily on the secondary instead of the guys in the trenches.
Spagnuolo had Sam Madison at safety when he first won a Lombardi in 2007 with the New York Giants. Madison might not have been a huge name, but his 10 seasons in the league and ability to start (at least) 13 games for nine of them helped solidify the secondary when it mattered most. That was Madison's penultimate season before retiring, a year in which he earned Pro Bowl (4x) and All-Pro (2x) honors, thanks to 4 interceptions and 68 tackles (career-high). Just another example of how Spags can get the best out of almost anyone, no matter the age or injury history.
After coming to K.C., Spagnuolo was handed a 5'9", 200-lb present in the form of Mathieu, whose six seasons in Arizona and Houston provided the leaderhsip qualities needed to secure Andy Reid's first Lombardi trophy.
From there, the Chiefs made sure Spagnuolo had Justin Reid to fill Mathieu's enormous shoes on the way to two more Super Bowl victories in 2022 and '23. Although cornerback Trent McDuffie showed true grit and leadership in his captain's role after Reid left, the flow of the defense didn't match the quality of previous years, and it showed on third downs and big moments, something that should not be solely on McDuffie's shoulders.
That could all change now with L'Jarius Sneed signed to a one-year contract.
The importance of Sneed's leadership
It's no secret that Sneed's 12 games played over the last two seasons in Tennessee weren't anything to write home about, but Spags is still giddy to have him. Sneed learned plenty on the sidelines and in the film room, even if he wasn't able to show it on the field.
That mindset, especially the pre-snap diagnosis of the offense, is what Sneed will bring back to the cornerback or safety position (wherever Spags wants to place him). No matter how many games the Chiefs can get out of Sneed on his one-year deal, the impact will be felt throughout the locker room in a multitude of ways.
Sneed's toughness is his calling card. Just watch his dominant performance against Miami in the 2023 AFC Wild Card game or his season-saving punch-out against Baltimore in the 2024 AFC Championship game. Those instincts can't necessarily be taught, but Spags and company sure know how to utilize them all over the field and in practice.
Not only that, but with Sneed's injury history and the abundance of youth that Kansas City has procured in the secondary, he might not be asked to actually play as often as some might think, unless injuries demand it. All that youth has plenty of upside, and that's one of the many reasons Sneed likely chose to return to KC.
- The emergence of Nohl Williams last season leaves Chiefs Kingdom with a lot of optimism.
- Chamarri Conner moving back to where he originally thrived means more productive snaps from the third-year DB.
- Christian Roland-Wallace looked impressive in spurts when he was on the field for 11 games.
- Jaden Hicks is hard-hitting and flies across the field every single play, something Sneed was known for before leaving for Tennessee.
Sneed is about to turn 30, and suddenly he's the "unc" in the locker room, playing a veteran role once held down by Mathieu and Reid. The difference is that Sneed already knows Spags' defense like the back of his hand. That allows Sneed's impact to reach further than the number of snaps he might provide on the field, providing more value for the Chiefs than fans might have originally believed.
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