The Los Angeles Rams proved a lot of people wrong in the 2023 season as they qualified for the playoffs despite an overhaul of the roster and coaching staff.
The Rams finished with a 10-7 record and nearly beat the Detroit Lions, who made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game. However, Los Angeles has no reason to be disappointed as they laid the groundwork for the franchise’s next era of football.
Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs officially became a dynasty after successfully defending their title in Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers. Although Patrick Mahomes took home Super Bowl MVP for the second year in a row, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo showed why he is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league by limiting most of the Chiefs’ opponents in the postseason.
Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff advocated for Spagnuolo to get another opportunity to serve as a head coach in the NFL after the Super Bowl, via his personal X account:
It is well past time to see Spags get another head coaching opportunity.
The team & organization he inherited in STL was a mess, nobody could have had success. Yet he changed the culture/staff & players believed. An amazing human deserving of the real shot we couldn’t give him https://t.co/d82dXjC3W4
— Kevin Demoff (@kdemoff) February 13, 2024
Spagnuolo was the Rams’ head coach for three years between 2009-2011, but the team largely struggled as they finished with the league’s worst record in 2009 and 2011. Spagnuolo was subsequently fired and served as a defensive coordinator and coach for several seasons before landing in Kansas City as their defensive coordinator in 2019.
The recent hiring cycle saw several defensive coordinators get head coaching opportunities, including Raheem Morris, who left the Rams to join the Atlanta Falcons. After winning his third Super Bowl championship with Kansas City and his fourth overall, Spagnuolo is overdue for another chance and should get his fair share of interviews next offseason.
The modern NFL has featured high-octane offenses, but defense appears to be back in vogue and there’s arguably no one better on that side than Spagnuolo.
Chris Shula says Rams will use same structures on defense in 2024
With Morris gone, head coach Sean McVay decided to promote from within and elevate Chris Shula to become the Rams’ new defensive coordinator. Shula’s been working with the defense for several years and acknowledged that L.A. will use the same structures during 2024.
