Steve Spagnuolo's trust in Chiefs LB helped team win Super Bowl

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Wes Roesch | Last updated Feb 23, 2024 10:07 AM ET

While the offense gets much of the glory in football, it was the Kansas City Chiefs' defense that look a leap forward the most in 2023.

That defense was a massive reason why the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII, which was their third title in five years. Led by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs' defense held the San Francisco 49ers offense, one of the league's best, to 22 points in the championship.

Many crucial defensive plays come to mind as highlights from that game, but none better than the 3rd-and-4 play with two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The game was tied at 16, and if the Niners would have gotten the first down, they likely would have drained the clock, kicked the field goal and won the game.

Spags called for a blitz on the play, sending cornerback Trent McDuffie for the quarterback pressure, causing 49ers QB Brock Purdy to throw the ball into the ground. This gave the Chiefs a chance.

Although McDuffie was the one who made the play, it turns out it was Spagnuolo's trust in a different player that allowed him to have faith that it was the correct defensive play call.

"I need to ask (Chiefs linebacker) Nick (Bolton) about this," Spagnuolo said on "The Season with Peter Schrager." "This is the trust I have in Nick Bolton ... I said, 'Nick, what do you think about this?' All I wanted to do was see his reaction, and he just starting (nodding) yes, yes, yes."

3rd and 4.

2 minutes left.

A Super Bowl hanging in the balance.

Trent McDuffie made the play, but Steve Spagnuolo tells me it was Nick Bolton— and Spags’ trust in Bolton— that made the play of the game possible.

X’s and O’s talk from the master. Candy for @chiefs fans. pic.twitter.com/5PT0qwoZti
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) February 23, 2024

"I knew when he was all in, we should change it to that (play)," Spagnuolo finished. "Fortunately for us, our guys executed really well."

That stop led to a field goal, giving the Chiefs just enough time to tie and send the game into overtime, where they would eventually capture the win.

The fact that Spagnuolo trusted Bolton so much with this play call shows that the Chiefs not only love Bolton as a player, but as a team leader as well. There's a reason Bolton is the captain of the defense with access to Spags' headset: He's the guy the Chiefs can go to when the game is on the line.

That sort of trust may earn Bolton a long-term deal with the Chiefs once his contract is up after the 2024 season.

You can listen to the full interview and episode of Peter Schrager's podcast here on Spotify.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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