The Kansas City Chiefs have already made one significant change in the wake of their AFC Championship Game defeat. The team announced on Tuesday it has fired defensive coordinator Bob Sutton. “Bob is a good football coach and a great person," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "He played an integral role in the success of our team over the last six seasons. I’ve said before that change can be a good thing, for both parties, and I believe that is the case here for the Chiefs and Bob. This was not an easy decision, but one I feel is in the best interest of the Kansas City Chiefs moving forward.” The Chiefs finished 31st in total defense in 2018, allowing 405.5 yards per game. Despite tying for first in sacks with 52, the unit also ranked second-to-last in passing yards allowed per game (273). More:Chiefs fire defensive coordinator Bob Sutton after AFC Championship Game loss In the 37-31 overtime loss to the New England Patriots, Kansas City gave up 524 total yards, including 176 on the ground. Tom Brady directed three touchdown drives in the fourth quarter and overtime combined, including the game-winning series capped by a 2-yard Rex Burkhead touchdown run. Sutton, 67, had been the Chiefs' defensive coordinator since Reid's arrival in 2013. Follow Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on Twitter @MikeMSchwartz.<doc-sep>The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday that defensive coordinator Bob Sutton was relieved of his duties after Sunday's 37-31 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. "Bob is a good football coach and a great person," Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "He played an integral role in the success of our team over the last six seasons. "I’ve said before that change can be a good thing, for both parties, and I believe that is the case here for the Chiefs and Bob," Reid added. "This was not an easy decision, but one I feel is in the best interest of the Kansas City Chiefs moving forward." LASER MAY HAVE BEEN POINTED AT TOM BRADY DURING AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Reid did not say whether Sutton's replacement would be promoted from within his current staff. The Chiefs were among the worst defenses in the NFL this past season, allowing an average of 405.5 total yards per game -- only the 6-10 Cincinnati Bengals allowed more -- and 26.3 points per game, the ninth-most in the league and the most of any playoff team. On Sunday, Sutton's defense could not hold a four-point lead on two occasions in the fourth quarter, surrendering touchdown drives of 75 and 65 yards to the Tom Brady-led Patriots. When New England got the ball first to start overtime, Brady led the Patriots offense 75 yards in 13 plays for the winning touchdown by Rex Burkhead. In all, New England gained 524 yards of total offense, including 176 rushing yards. Even more damning to Sutton was the call by CBS analyst Tony Romo on the TV broadcast. Romo was uncanny in predicting exactly what New England would do, yet the Chiefs were unable to stop it. "I put this on the defense," Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said afterward. "We've got to build from it, learn from it and we'll be better next year." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "We wanted to do better there," Reid said during his end-of-season news conference Monday. "When it comes down to the last drive, you magnify where it is, but this was the championship game. It was in overtime. When you really cut to the chase of it here, the few games we lost, we lost by minimal points, so we were obviously doing something right." The 67-year-old Sutton, a former head coach at Army, had been with the Chiefs since 2013. He previously spent 13 seasons with the New York Jets as a linebackers coach, defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The Associated Press contributed to this report.<doc-sep>Less than 24 hours after the Kansas City Chiefs relieved Bob Sutton of his defensive coordinator duties, a favorite to replace him has emerged. It’s former New York Giants defensive coordinator and head coach Steve Spagnuolo, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Former Giants’ DC and HC Steve Spagnuolo has emerged as the favorite to replace Bob Sutton as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator, per sources. Spagnuolo and Andy Reid worked together in Philadelphia, share the same agent and have a mutual respect for each other’s work. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 23, 2019 Spagnuolo served as a defensive assistant (1999-2000), defensive backs coach (2001-2003) and linebackers coach (2004-2006) under Andy Reid while he was the the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2012). Reid admitted to offering Spagnuolo a role prior to his final year as Eagles head coach (2012), but Spagnuolo opted to take the Saints defensive coordinator instead. As our own Craig Stout noted Tuesday night in his five candidates to watch, Spagnuolo primarily runs a 4-3 base, which would be a stark change from the Chiefs defense under the departed Sutton. STOUT: Spagnuolo is an intriguing name, and a real possibility considering his Andy Reid ties. A Jim Johnson disciple, Spagnuolo was a defensive assistant, defensive backs coach and a linebackers coach under Johnson while Andy Reid was the head coach. Primarily running a 4-3 base, Spagnuolo embraces Johnson’s blitz-heavy approach, especially coming from cornerbacks and safeties. He famously utilized smaller defensive linemen as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, manipulating fronts and keeping the offense off balance. While recent success has eluded him — being let go after becoming the interim head coach for the Giants in 2017 — Spagnuolo does have ties to Reid, and is an established name in the NFL. If Reid wants to hands the reins to a more established coordinator, Spagnuolo could be the guy. Be sure to check out Stout’s four other names to watch here.<doc-sep>
The Kansas City Chiefs fired defensive coordinator Bob Sutton on Tuesday, two days after his defense was unable to come up with pivotal stops against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. One name to watch for the now-vacant position is former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan, sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter. Sutton has worked as Kansas City's defensive coordinator since 2013, when the Chiefs brought in Andy Reid as their head coach. Reid, in a statement released Tuesday, did not provide a specific reason for the firing beyond saying "change can be a good thing, for both parties, and I believe that this is the case here for the Chiefs and Bob." The Chiefs allowed 524 yards from scrimmage and 36 first downs Sunday night to the Patriots, who scored two go-ahead touchdowns in the final 3:32 of regulation before their 13-play, game-winning TD drive in overtime. The Chiefs were unable to stop the Patriots from converting three third-and-10 situations on that overtime drive in Sunday's 37-31 loss. In addition, linebacker Dee Ford was called for an offsides penalty that negated what likely would have been a game-ending interception by cornerback Charvarius Ward with 54 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Kansas City ahead 28-24. "Bob is a good football coach and a great person," Reid said in his statement. "He played an integral role in the success of our team over the last six seasons. I've said before that change can be a good thing, for both parties, and I believe that is the case here for the Chiefs and Bob. This was not an easy decision, but one I feel is in the best interest of the Kansas City Chiefs moving forward." Sutton, 67, oversaw a Kansas City defense that tied for the NFL lead with 52 sacks this season but allowed 405.5 yards per game, the second-most in the league. The Chiefs finished 31st in total defense this season in contrast to the offense, which finished No. 1 overall in the NFL. The Chiefs scored at least 28 points in each of their five losses this season, including games in which they scored 51 and 40 points. The Chiefs had finished in the top seven in scoring defense in each of Sutton's first four seasons before dropping off to 15th in 2017 and 24th this season. ESPN's Adam Teicher contributed to this report.