NFL Rumors: 49ers Eyed Chiefs' Steve Spagnuolo for DC Contract After Super Bowl Loss

The San Francisco 49ers received a first-person look at how effective Steve Spagnuolo's defenses can be during their Super Bowl loss, and they were reportedly interested in the Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator this offseason.

ESPN's Dan Graziano reported on Sunday that the reigning NFC champions "explored the possibility of hiring Steve Spagnuolo away from the Chiefs for their defensive coordinator position."

However, they ended up promoting assistant Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator and hiring former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to the staff.

As for Spagnuolo, Graziano noted "the Niners' interest likely was one of the reasons the Chiefs moved quickly to extend him. Multiple sources said Spagnuolo's new deal will pay him somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 million per year."

He has been the defensive coordinator in Kansas City since the start of the 2019 campaign and is a major reason the team has won three Lombardi Trophies and reached four Super Bowls in the past five years.

The defense was second in the league in yards and points allowed during the 2023 season and held the 49ers to a field goal in the opening possession of overtime in the Super Bowl. That set the stage for Kansas City's offense to win the game, and Patrick Mahomes delivered with a touchdown strike to Mecole Hardman.

The Chiefs figure to be on the short list of realistic Super Bowl contenders again in 2024 with Mahomes under center and Spagnuolo leading the defense despite efforts from the 49ers to pry the coordinator away.