Another Super Bowl trip, stopping the Eagles and saying goodbye to Tom Brady: A Q&A with Kansas City Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo of Grafton

When the Kansas City Chiefs meet the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday evening in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona, it will mark the fifth time Steve Spagnuolo of Grafton has coached in the NFL’s season-ending spectacle.

Spagnuolo, 63, was the linebackers coach when the Eagles lost to the Patriots in 2004, the defensive coordinator when the New York Giants upset the previously perfect Patriots in 2007, and the DC when the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in 2019 and lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.

Spagnuolo, the only coordinator — offensive or defensive — in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two franchises, took a break from packing on Saturday to chat with the Telegram & Gazette about why Philly is special to him to coaching against Tom Brady. (Note: the conversation has been edited.)

T&G: The Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl for the third time in your four seasons in Kansas City. How rewarding an experience has that been?

SS: “Pretty special. I’m blessed to be in a good organization with a great head coach (Andy Reid) and surrounded by good coaches and good players. You know, in this league, it’s as much timing and the people you’re around and where you happen to be at certain times as anything else.

“There’s a lot of good coaches out there that maybe haven’t gotten to a Super Bowl. That doesn’t mean they’re not good coaches, it’s just that certain things didn’t fall into place, and fortunately for me, they have. So I’m blessed, and I never forget that it’s God helping me get here, so I’m real thankful for that.”

T&G: You’ve coached at a lot of places during a career that began at UMass in 1981, none longer than Philadelphia, where you met your wife, Maria. What does the city mean to you personally and professionally?

SS: “So, yes, I married a Philly girl. Listen, I love the city of Philadelphia, and we still have a home there. We’ll always be a part of Philadelphia, so it makes it really unique that we’re playing in the Super Bowl and trying to beat their football team, but that’s part of athletics, right. But Philly is special, my wife loves it, I met her there. I’m fortunate Andy Reid brought me there in 1999. I spent eight great years there.”

T&G: The Eagles offense ranked second in the NFL in scoring this season with 477 points (second to KC’s 496) and had six Pro Bowlers. What do you see from that unit?

“I see a juggernaut, and I’ve been using that word all week. I’m not sure where the weakness is. They have surrounded a talented quarterback (Jalen Hurts) with a lot of weapons and an extremely good offensive line. This is a really scary team we’re preparing to defend. By far the best we’ll play all year.”

T&G: When is the game plan installed and what is Super Bowl week like for you as a coach?

SS: “When you get to the Super Bowl during this last-week stretch here, it’s more about the activities and the outside distractions until you get to Friday, Saturday and certainly Sunday. So when we get there, the game plan is already in (about 80 percent), and we’re just kind of reviewing it. And I think most teams do that because we know what it’s going to be like for the players.

“They’re going to be pulled in a lot of different directions, and we’re going to get them for a certain amount of time and ask them to hone in on the game itself. And as it gets closer and closer to the game, you start to do away with the outside distractions and hone in on what we’re there for, and that’s to win a football game.”

T&G: In addition to yourself, the Chiefs have a Central Mass.-connection in tight end Noah Gray of Leominster. What have you seen from the second-year pro?

SS: “Great kid. We talk a lot. Obviously, we’re from the same area. He didn’t remember this initially, but he played football against my nephew, Kyle Spagnuolo, who played for Shrewsbury High School. Kyle was a really good wide receiver and played a little defense and once told me he had to cover Noah, so that was a cool story.

“Listen, I love watching Noah mature and grow as a player here in Kansas City. He’s a real key guy for us. Obviously, Travis Kelce is elite, but Noah Gray is a really good, solid NFL tight end. He really is. He’s going to be a really good one, and he’s been good to this point, too.”

T&G: You faced the recently retired Tom Brady a number of times over the years, beating him in the Super Bowl in 2007 and losing to him in the Super Bowl in 2020? What will you remember about him?

SS: “I loved competing against Tom. Almost every time we went head to head against each other, I would see him at the end of the game. There was a tremendous amount of respect for each other and handshakes. We played them this past season down in Tampa and were fortunate enough to beat him (41-31).

“I went over and shook his hand, and I knew there was a chance at that time that might be the last chance we’d have to go against each other. That was a pretty cool moment. I mean, he’s legendary. The … best … of … all … time — by far. The best I’ve ever competed against. He was just so gracious anytime we had any interactions.

“By only regret is, if I wasn’t coaching in the NFL, I’d still be a Patriot fan and rooting for Tom Brady. Unfortunately, I was going against him, so I wasn’t rooting for him. But I certainly do wish him the best in retirement, and I’m sure all New Englanders still have a deep affection for Tom Brady.”

—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichGarvenTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Kansas City Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo talks Super Bowl, Tom Brady and more