KC Chiefs: Steve Spagnuolo has fared well against Tom Brady

KC Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo knows how to beat Tom Brady. Hopefully, he can do it again in Super Bowl LV. 

There’s been one defensive coordinator who’s been able to figure Tom Brady out and get the better of him and fortunately for Kansas City Chiefs fans, that defensive coordinator is in-house. After the defense cost the Chiefs a trip to the Super Bowl in 2018, KC finally fired Bob Sutton and brought Steve Spagnuolo in to run the defense.

While it got off to a slow start, Spagnuolo eventually turned the Chiefs defense from a bottom 10 unit to a top 10 one and we saw that in last year’s Super Bowl victory over the 49ers. The Chiefs defense played well in the AFC Championship Game and that’s a huge credit to Spagnuolo, who continues to get this defense in tip-top shape ahead of big games.

Spagnuolo has been a defensive coordinator for three different teams and during that time has gone 3-1 against Brady. We all remember Super Bowl XLII when the Giants beat Brady and the Patriots, ruining their quest for a perfect season. An explosive Patriots offense met their match against Spagnuolo’s defense, who held Brady to 266 yards, one touchdown, and sacked him five times.

While the helmet catch is what most people remember in that game, what Spagnuolo’s group did to Brady in that Super Bowl was very impressive. He’s continued to put the hammer down on Brady too, going 2-0 against the future Hall of Fame quarterback since joining the Chiefs as their defensive coordinator.

Steve Spagnuolo has Tom Brady’s number and KC Chiefs fans hope that continues in Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7.

The first time Spagnuolo faced Brady as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator was last year when Brady was still in New England. TB12 was held to just 169 yards through the air while throwing one touchdown and one interception and getting sacked three times. It wasn’t a good game for Brady and gave the Chiefs confidence that they could beat the GOAT.

Round two for Spagnuolo as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator came in late November when Brady was with his new team in Tampa Bay. The Chiefs picked Brady off twice in their 27-24 victory against him and the Bucs earlier this season while sacking him once. Brady threw for over 300 yards, but his team fell behind early so they were forced to air it out more.

Even Spagnuolo’s one loss against Brady (which came in 2015 when Spagnuolo was on his second stint with the Giants) was a low-scoring, one-point loss.

For whatever reason, this man knows what it takes to beat Tom Brady and fans best believe that he’s going to bring his A-game against TB12 when the KC Chiefs take the field against him in Super Bowl LV.