Pain of Chiefs’ Demise Felt More in Coaching Staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Brendan Daly helped the New England Patriots win three Super Bowls from 2014-18. Then, he came to Kansas City and won three more.

The last time the Chiefs’ linebackers coach personally stayed home for the playoffs was 2013, when he coached Minnesota’s defensive line.

“It's too soon to process all of that,” Daly said Thursday. “I think the focus right now is on Tennessee and trying to prepare for this game, and put our best foot forward and go and win the football game. I'm sure that'll come as the reality sets in when the season ends.”

brendan dal — Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebackers coach Brendan Daly during the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

End of four remarkable NFL streaks

When the season ends, it will become the franchise’s first without a postseason berth since 2014, first without an AFC title game since 2017, first without an AFC West crown since 2015 and first without a Super Bowl appearance since 2021.

But as Kansas City prepares to visit Tennessee on Sunday (12 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan), coaches have too much on their plates to dwell.

nick bolto — Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) tackles Houston Texans running back Woody Marks (27) during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

“At the moment,” Daly explained, “you're in the flow of it. It's no different than it would be if we were 14-0, or whatever the case may be. At this point, it's the next game, and you go about it day-to-day through your process the same way.”

Daly first coached for Steve Spagnuolo in 2009, when the Rams hired Spagnuolo as head coach. He was a prime candidate, just 11 months removed from handing Tom Brady and the prolific Patriots their first loss of the 2007 season, in Super Bowl 42.

Spagnuolo has been to seven Super Bowls, six as a defensive coordinator. With four Super Bowl rings (three with Kansas City), he’s the only offensive or defensive coordinator in league history to capture world titles with two separate franchises – and the only to win four.

So, it was no surprise on Thursday when Spagnuolo made a face indicative of food poisoning when asked about tanking for higher draft picks.

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“Guys aren't built that way,” Spagnuolo said. “I don't think there's a coach or a player that's built like that. I always say, if we had a basketball court right out here and you took any six of the guys in that locker room and said, ‘Go play three-on-three,’ they would be knocking each other over to win the game, right? … That's just how they're built. So, I don't think they'll change in the game.”

Neither will Dave Toub. The venerable special-teams coordinator has personally been to the playoffs in 14 of the past 20 NFL seasons, including 11 of 12 with Kansas City from 2013-24.

And he’ll never forget watching Patrick Mahomes go down late in Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, and seeing Gardner Minshew finish the game.

“We all felt like you guys did,” Toub said Thursday. “Everybody, the fans, I mean it was hard. That’s being honest. I mean, it was different at practice, just going out and he's not out there at practice. I mean, that's different.

“But the guys are rallying behind Gardner. We're going to have a good practice today. We had a real good one yesterday. So that's the way it is. They're professional. They're going to come back and do everything in our power to win these last three games.”

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