MIAMI — He has heard from Michael Strahan.
A text came in the other day from Tom Coughlin. Antonio Pierce, of course.
“I keep in touch with him all the time,” Steve Spagnuolo said Monday night.
There were words of congratulations from Osi Umenyiora “way over in London.’’ Justin Tuck sent a text kidding his former defensive boss.
“Tuck said he was getting all kinds of questions about me,” Spagnuolo said. “They’re asking him about 12 years ago! But he was great. Listen, being here does bring me back to that, which are really good memories.”
They are the best memories for Spagnuolo, who is hoping to make more as the defensive coordinator of the Chiefs as they get set to face the 49ers in Super Bowl 2020. Getting back to a Super Bowl is never easy and should never be taken for granted. Spagnuolo got there after the 2007 season, his very first as the Giants’ defensive coordinator. His NFL path since then is a long and winding road, and, 12 years later, he is back in the Super Bowl, again.
“It’s funny — we all think of Dan Marino, right?’’ Spagnuolo said at Marlins Park, site of “Super Bowl Opening Night”. “When he went that first year and then never gets there again. You’re so caught up in the first one, you win it, you hope you get back there.’’
Spagnuolo paused.
“I’m sure glad to be involved with it again,’’ he said.
Spagnuolo, 60, rose to prominence with the Giants in 2007. Eli Manning was named MVP of the titanic Super Bowl XLII upset of the 18-0 Patriots, but Tuck and the entire Spagnuolo defense could have been crowned after allowing Brady’s scoring machine only 14 points that night in Glendale, Ariz.
Spagnuolo returned to the Giants in 2008 and then was hired as the head coach of the Rams.
“It did a lot for me individually,’’ Spagnuolo said of the Super Bowl triumph. “To be honest with you, a lot of times I’m humbled by that, because it’s not one person that did that.’’
After leaving his first gig with the Giants, it has not gone smoothly for Spagnuolo. He lasted only three years in St. Louis, going 10-38. He was hired by Sean Payton in 2012 to resuscitate the Saints defense. Payton was suspended for his role in Bountygate, the Saints missed the playoffs for the first time in four years and Spagnuolo’s defense allowed the most yards in a season in NFL history. He was out in New Orleans after only one year.
There was two years as a defensive assistant with the Ravens, time Spagnuolo needed to reinvigorate his career. Coughlin in 2015 tried to rekindle the good old days and brought Spagnuolo back, but the Giants gave up the most points in franchise history that year. Coughlin was fired after that season, Ben McAdoo retained Spagnuolo, but McAdoo was fired 12 games into the 2017 season. Spagnuolo went 1-3 as the interim head coach and then was let go.
“Sure it does,’’ Spagnuolo said, when asked if his struggles makes this Super Bowl return sweeter. “I don’t know that there’s a coach that stays on top the whole time. You’re gonna have some ups and downs, pick yourself back up and go again.” I’ve been fortunate that people have believed enough in me, a guy like Andy Reid, to ask me to come and coach his defense. That means a lot to me.”
Reid gambled that his former Eagles assistant could reshape a Chiefs defense that could not come close to matching the exploits of the Patrick Mahomes-inspired Kansas City offense. Spagnuolo inherited the league’s 31st-ranked defense, struggled early this season to improve the product and finished with a flourish, allowing only 10 points a game the final five games of the regular season.
“I remember saying this to myself, as great as it was in New York in ’07, I hope that’s not the end or the ultimate, I hope there’s something better than that,’’ Spagnuolo said. “I don’t know whether that will be the case or not, because that was pretty special.’’
For more on Super Bowl 2020, listen to the latest episode of the “Gang’s All Here” podcast:
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