Former Chiefs Player Emerges as Perfect Steve Spagnuolo Replacement Option

The Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for their crucial AFC showdown to keep their winning streak alive. As the only undefeated team in the league, the Chiefs will try to maintain their perfect record against their toughest opponent yet.

While the Chiefs are looking ahead to a potentially historic three-peat run, they also have to think about the future of the franchise. One possible challenge the Chiefs could face in the offseason is a reshuffling of their coaching staff.

Steve Spagnuolo, the architect of the elite Chiefs' defense over the years, could receive attention in the coaching market, per Jeff Howe of The Athletic.

"Perhaps teams will look at Dan Quinn’s early success with the Washington Commanders and think Spagnuolo could be a comparable example as a second-time head coach who would inject a professional mentality into the building."

- Jeff Howe, The Athletic

Spags will turn 65 and hasn't been a full-time head coach since 2011. He hasn't even gotten an interview since 2017, so he may not be interested in a head coaching gig this late in his career.

If he is indeed poached by another team, however, the Chiefs have the ideal replacement available.

Mike Vrabel, who finished out his Pro Bowl career in Kansas City, could return to the Chiefs as a defensive coordinator. After coaching the Tennessee Titans for six seasons, leading them to three straight postseason appearances, Vrabel was fired at the end of the 2023 season.

He was surprisingly unable to land a coordinator or head coaching job in the offseason, signing with the Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant instead. Vrabel was previously the defensive coordinator for the Texans for a season before being hired in Tennessee. Considering the fact that he will almost certainly not stay in Cleveland past this season, the Chiefs should seriously think about bringing him into the coaching staff.

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