Closer Look at Chiefs’ Sneaky Good Addition to Staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Wednesday proved why there’s really no offseason in the NFL, especially for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Even after a 6-11 season – Andy Reid’s first losing campaign as Kansas City head coach -- and missing the playoffs for the first time in 11 years, the Chiefs dominated headlines over a 24-hour cycle. And not all of them were good.

Rashee Rice was back in the news, his future now in serious question. Patrick Mahomes, meanwhile, cut a massive hole in the Chiefs’ salary-cap deficit and likely gave his team the ability to sign at least one big-name free agent next month.

andre curti — Aug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive pass game coordinator Andre Curtis during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

But the move that didn’t get much attention deserves to sit above the radar, not below it. Turns out, Reid was not done tweaking his coaching staff. He made a seventh addition on Wednesday, signing Andre Curtis to partner with Dave Merritt in coaching Kansas City’s defensive backs, with a focus on safeties.

Epitome of great coaching

Grading a coach in any sport depends largely on how well players perform during that tenure. And the Chiefs desperately need Chamarri Conner and Jaden Hicks to have their best career seasons in 2026.

And going through all these DBs that he coached, it’s rather astonishing seeing how many of them had the best years of their careers under Curtis https://t.co/xHOoKcl1Wd
— Arrowhead Live (@ArrowheadLive) February 18, 2026

Before Seattle won the Super Bowl earlier this month, the Seahawks made their prior Super Bowl run with the Legion of Boom defense, led largely by the secondary. After Seattle made consecutive Super Bowls in 2013-14, Curtis joined their staff in 2015.

Earl Thomas that year matched his single-season high with five interceptions, and Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman also turned in solid performances.

Curtis also coached Sam Madison in the cornerbacks final NFL seasons, with the Giants. Madison eventually joined Reid, Spagnuolo and the Chiefs when they won the Super Bowl in 2019. As secondary and cornerbacks coach, Madison got help in 2021 from Donald D’Alesio.

Reid and Spagnuolo see Merritt and Curtis former a similar team in coaching the Chiefs’ defensive backs, which figure to lose up to three starters in coming weeks – Bryan Cook and Jaylen Watson in free agency, and Trent McDuffie in a possible trade.

sherma — Sep 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback DeShawn Shead (35), cornerback Richard Sherman (25) and strong safety Kam Chancellor (31) walk down the tunnel to the field to warm up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Colesium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The addition of Curtis gives Merritt more time to spend with one of the team’s most exciting young players, cornerback Nohl Williams.

Chicago might’ve been signature coaching job

The Bears have their own defensive backs ready to test free agency next month, but Curtis played a major role in shaping their trajectories.

One of those is safety Jaquan Brisker, who arrived in Chicago with Curtis as the Bears’ second-round selection in the 2022 draft. Brisker’s first three seasons (2022-24) were under Curtis. As a rookie, Brisker was among NFL leaders with four sacks from his safety position. He’s also had an interception in every season, and broke up nine passes in 2023.

In Chicago, Curtis also worked with Kyler Gordon, Eddie Jackson and Kevin Byard.

And last season in Dallas, Curtis coached DaRon Bland, Donovan Wilson and Trevon Diggs.

Trust and familiarity

Curtis should have no issues settling in and teaching Kansas City’s defense. Not only does he bring an extensive history on previous staffs under Steve Spagnuolo; he’s also coached with Merritt.

In fact, Curtis coached with Merritt before he coached with Spagnuolo. In 2006, when Spagnuolo was in his final year as Reid’s linebackers coach in Philadelphia, Merritt was with Curtis and the Giants. Tom Coughlin gave Curtis his first NFL job that season, as New York’s defensive quality control coach.

dave merrit — Feb 12, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, US; Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt against the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The next season, 2007, Coughlin hired Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator and won the Super Bowl, knocking off Tom Brady and previously undefeated Patriots.

Spagnuolo had so much respect for Curtis that he tapped the young coach to join him in St. Louis when the Rams made Spagnuolo head coach in 2009. Curtis was the Rams’ defensive backs coach from 2009-11.

Then, when the Rams fired Spagnuolo and he went to New Orleans as defensive coordinator in 2012, he brought Curtis with him again. Curtis served as the Saints’ assistant secondary coach from 2012-14.

That means cutting the odds of coverage breakdowns, philosophical differences and wavelength miscommunications.

In addition to Williams, Hicks and Conner, the Chiefs are expected to add more defensive backs in the draft, possibly as early as the No. 9 selection in the first round or early in free agency.

And when they do, Reid now appears to have the Chiefs in solid position to maximize their ability to get the most out of their secondary.

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