Kansas City Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo goes viral for rightful criticism of key flaw in Pro Football Focus grades

Why Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo is right about PFF grades

PFF has a wealth of valuable information that provides context to the game that you don't get from the box score, but their grading system is inherently flawed in the eyes of NFL coaches. If you're not in the meeting room and don't honestly know their assignment on a given play, the grades are no more than guesswork. This isn't the first time that Steve Spagnuolo has suggested this, either. In the past, he has mentioned that advanced analytics companies that track splits between man coverage and zone coverage don't get it right because of the rise and prevalence of match coverages across the league.

It's not just the grades that need more context. A good example right now is Chiefs DE George Karlaftis, who by PFF's accounting is currently tied for second in the NFL with 23 quarterback pressures through four weeks of the 2025 season. PFF defines pressure as the cumulative total of sacks, QB hits, and QB hurries.

The thing that this doesn't take into account is that not all pressures are created equally. Some pressures are quick, while others come later after the snap, and there are a lot of different assignment-related reasons as to why that might be the case. There's a lot more nuance to it than simply saying Karlaftis is among the league leaders in pressures with 23. Coaches like Steve Spagnuolo are privy to that information, but what about those assigning the pressures and making pass-rush grades based on film study?

PFF grades and stats shouldn't be treated as gospel, but rather as a starting point for fans and media alike to gain more context and information about the game they love and the players who play it.