National Football League

Chiefs' Justin Reid says he'll start selling viral shirts of DC Steve Spagnuolo

Published Jan. 29, 2024 3:07 p.m. ET

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Chiefs are headed back to another Super Bowl, but the real story of Kansas City's 17-10 road upset over the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday's AFC Championship Game was how well the Chiefs defense played. The often-overlooked unit turned in its biggest masterpiece in a season full of them under the leadership of veteran defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo — and gave him all the credit both before and after the game.

Several starters on the Kansas City defense warmed up pregame in custom-made shirts depicting the 64-year-old Spagnuolo — then donned them again, led by safety Justin Reid, as they celebrated their win.

The shirts went viral, in no small part because that Spagnuolo-coordinated defense flummoxed Ravens quarterback and presumptive 2023 NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and Baltimore's high-powered offense despite a hostile Baltimore crowd.

The game's biggest moment came early in the fourth quarter when Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed — one of the players who had warmed up in a Spagnuolo t-shirt before the game — forced Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers to fumble the ball just short of the goal line, turning a would-be Baltimore touchdown into a turnover.

After the internet's response to the shirts, Reid posted on X (formerly Twitter) Monday that he would start selling them, with the proceeds going ti his charity foundation JReid InDeed.

When asked about the shirts following the game, Spagnuolo told FOX 4 KC that he was "humbled and embarrassed" by the gesture but thankful his unit backed them up by leading the team to victory.

Meanwhile, Reid and Spagnuolo will now turn their attention to figuring out how to stop the San Francisco 49ers' star-studded offense in Super Bowl LVIII as the Chiefs aim for their second Super Bowl title in as many years.

Here are some more looks at those shirts:

Star Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones also made sure to shout out Spagnuolo during an on-field postgame interview with FOX Sports' Kristina Pink.

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And on the "NFL on FOX Podcast," host Dave Helman dedicated his Championship Weekend Coaching Spotlight to Spagnuolo, pointing out that the coordinator also masterminded the 2007 New York Giants defense that ruined the New England Patriots' would-be undefeated season in that year's Super Bowl and that his current unit has been the true strength of the Chiefs this season despite Mahomes, Kelce and head coach Andy Reid's offense being the headliners in Kansas City.