30 January 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Much of the talk after Sunday’s dominant win against the Ravens isn’t about anyone who took a snap for the team but the defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Steve Spagnuolo is stealing the shine after a nearly perfect game plan that hampered the Ravens’ presumed MVP and his offense.
Chiefs safety Justin Reid, the man behind the Spagnuolo T-shirt idea, is sharing how it happened and why it was so important.
“He’s so awesome, bro, he’s so awesome,” Reid said.
Reid has had a lot of coaches in his career but he calls Spagnuolo not only his favorite coordinator of all time but the greatest coordinator in NFL history.
“We just have full trust and belief in what coach Spags puts together no matter what happens. Even if they score, say, a touchdown on the first drive, we’re going to live and die by the game plan because we know it’s going to work,” he said.
The appreciation for who he is and the work he puts into perfecting his craft is something his players admire on and off the field.
“On top of just being a great man himself, a spiritual guy. But he’s also just a leader man and the way that he is able to inspire his players. He talks to us like family, and we know how much we mean to him, and he means the same to us,” Reid said.
So, it would make sense that the players—initially just the DBs—wanted to make a shirt reading “In Spags We Trust.”
The idea caught on quickly, and soon, all the defense wanted a shirt. All this happened just three days before the AFC championship game.
Spagnuolo’s plan worked to perfection, so naturally, the shirts had to be pulled out after the big win.
“We just wanted to put that in a physical, tangible form in a T-shirt to surprise him with it. He had no idea,” Reid said. “I know we probably surprised him, and I know that he was really happy that we ended up going and playing well.”
“I was humbled and embarrassed, to be quite honest with you, but those guys had fun with it. Thank God we ended up doing well,” Spagnuolo told FOX4 Sports Sunday after the win.
The best part of this is that now you at home can get your own shirt by clicking here.
All of the money raised by Reid selling this shirt will go to his foundation, JReid InDeed, which helps disadvantaged communities right here in Kansas City.
As for the football field, Reid says they’re looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead in the Super Bowl: the San Francisco 49ers.
Reid says the key to a Super Bowl victory is physicality and pressure.