Recently, Steve Spagnuolo sat down with Peter Schrager to discuss his illustrious NFL coaching career. During the interview, Coach “Spags” revealed how the 2007-08 New York Giants were brought together by Antoinio Pierce, who recently became the Head Coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. According to Coach Spagnuolo, before the game, the coaching staff was worried about keeping them under 35 points. The 18-0 Patriots led by Tom Brady and capped off by Hall of Famer Randy Moss were a team for the history books. And yet, the Giants came out victorious, keeping them to just 14 points in 4 quarters.
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As per the Defensive Coordinator of the Giants at that time, Coach Spagnuolo, Antonio Pierce was the glue that brought the whole team together. His leadership was so evident that Coach Spags could derive how easily he’d be able to mold it to fit his new Head Coaching job in Las Vegas. Coach Spagnuolo says,
“He was the glue in the middle, that really kept it all together. Like he could connect all the rooms, that’s why he’s such a good head coach now. He could speak the language of the DBs, the linebackers and the D-line. He can go over to the Offensive guys. He can rile things up. And he knows people. That’s why he’s so good at what’s he’s doing now.”
Antonio Pierce and Steve Spagnuolo both won the Super Bowl that year and most of the credit was given to the incredible defensive schemes and execution that the Giants did against one of the toughest offenses to ever take the field. Thus, his high regard for Antonio Pierce could lend additional validation to the city of Las Vegas and the Raiders organization who have not seen major primetime success in a long time.
Spagnuolo mentions other people from that defensive squad that made the whole thing possible. Coach says that people like Sam Madison, Corey Webster, and James Butler at the back end were also integral to executing one of the most memorable Super Bowl performances by a defense. And nothing came easy for this defensive squad filled with athletes who were not exactly household names or stars. In the beginning, things were not gelling together. But they kept at it, and under Coach Spags’ now legendary schematics, came out ruining Tom Brady’s ultimate season.
Not the First Time Steve Spagnuolo Praised Antonio Pierce
Last November as well, when Antonio Pierce was basically coaching for his job in Vegas, Spagnuolo voiced his support for the former Giants middle-backer. Even though his current team and Pierce’s Raiders are arch-rivals, the friendship between the two only grows stronger as the years go on. Even in November, Steve Spagnuolo made it clear that “We don’t beat the Patriots.. …if Antonio is not running the show on defense.”
Their relationship as a coach and an athlete and now fellow coaches in the NFL is a rather heartwarming tale of how two different people, at different stages of their lives and careers, can come together and leave a massive impact. It will be interesting to see how this translates into their on-field match ups in the coming years. And who knows, maybe one day the two will take on each other head-to-head as the head coaches.
