Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were just a 2008 victory away from joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only team in NFL history to have played a perfect season, but they were deprived of that feat by the New York Giants in what is considered one of the biggest surprises in the sport.
Unfortunately for Brady, he will face the same man behind the defense of the Giants’ championship when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl LV on Sunday.
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Steve Spagnuolo, 61, had a long career as a coach in the NFL, but the highlight of his career came in 2008, in his first year as a defensive coordinator for the Giants. Under coach Tom Coughlin, Spagnuolo orchestrated a defensive strategy capable of overturning an attack that, to this day, still ranks among the best in league history.
“Spags,” as he was called by the players he coached, told the NFL Network in 2018 that the key to his success 10 years ago was twofold: frustrating Brady by keeping the pressure on and not letting him pass. 20 yards.
“(Linebacker) Jessie Armstead teases me about it, but at one point during the week I said, ‘Look, it doesn’t matter if we stop him from playing or not, let’s just make sure we hit him'” Spagnuolo said at the time. “He told me that later, he said, ‘It doesn’t feel right.’ He said: ‘Coach, I’m not so sure that I agreed to this.’ “
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He continued: “But our guys accepted and we waited – the hope was that we could frustrate him a little. That was the first thing. The second thing was, we are not going to give up passes over 20 meters.”
Spagnuolo tried his luck as head coach in 2009, when he accepted the position with the St. Louis Rams. He would go 11-41 before being fired in 2012.
But Spagnuolo would return in 2019, when he joined the Chiefs as a defensive coordinator. He worked closely with coach Andy Reid, with whom he worked for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2006.
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The pair would lead the team to the franchise’s second Super Bowl title, making Spagnuolo the only offensive or defensive coordinator in league history to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.
Spagnuolo has the recipe for success. Brady is a methodical player who could easily be knocked down by constant pressure or blows. He is also known for deep passes and will fire them if given the chance.
Chiefs are no strangers to the Super Bowl scene, but they will have to play smart if they want to repeat greatness.