Travis Kelce Turns Heads With Blunt Message for Chiefs Coach

Travis Kelce Turns Heads With Blunt Message for Chiefs Coach originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce, switched things up a bit for the most recent episode of their highly popular “New Heights” podcast.

For this week’s show, their guest was not a big-name celebrity. Instead, they brought in Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who, to be fair, is a celebrity in his own right. The veteran coach’s popularity, however, just pales in comparison to recent “New Heights” guests such as Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky and Ben Affleck, to name a few.

Be that as it may, the Kelce brothers still had an excellent conversation with Spagnuolo, as they talked about a variety of topics under the sun. Naturally, they covered Spagnuolo’s role with the Chiefs, including how the 65-year-old coach got his start in the NFL.

Spagnuolo revealed how his long-standing relationship with head coach Andy Reid led to the former’s first stint in the NFL.

In 1999, Reid hired Spagnuolo to be part of his defensive staff with the Philadelphia Eagles. They reunited again in Kansas City when Reid called on Spagnuolo to be the team’s defensive coordinator in 2019.

Spagnuolo acknowledged the major role Reid has played in his coaching career.

“I owe him,” Spagnuolo said on the podcast. “I’m not in the NFL if it’s not for Andy Reid.”

Kelce quickly responded by crediting Spagnuolo for his massive role in the team’s success.

“He doesn’t have three rings without you either, big guy,” Kelce said.

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Reid may be the head of the snake, but there’s no denying that Spagnuolo has been pivotal to Kansas City’s success through the years. As Kelce declared, the Chiefs would not have won three Super Bowls had it not been for Spagnuolo.

Kelce’s exchange with the Chiefs’ DC quickly drew the attention of fans on social media.

“Chiefs Kingdom! ❤️💛” a comment on Instagram read.

“Team work makes the dream work🔥” said another.

“Spags is all class,” a user stated.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo talk on the sidelines. © Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“I love Spags and even more after this interview. He’s a true educator – so good,” a reaction read.

“Thought I couldn’t love Spags more, but I’m happy to have been proven wrong,” another said.

“humble guy! love that,” a fan wrote.

The Chiefs would have added a fourth title to their trophy cabinet this year had it not been for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kansas City will be looking to make things right this coming season, and Spagnuolo is expected to play a key role in the same.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.

Travis Kelce Turns Heads With Blunt Message for Chiefs Coach

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