Head Coach Josh McDaniels and his Rams counterpart Steve Spagnuolo have taken parallel paths to the peak of professional football.
Each man accepted his first NFL head coaching gig in 2009, and both of them contributed to Super Bowl championships with other franchises. McDaniels won three titles with the Patriots, but his New England team fell to Spagnuolo’s Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
Spagnuolo spent his last two years in New York as the defensive coordinator, while McDaniels served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for his final three years in New England. The coaches forged a mutual respect through their quick rise up the ranks in professional coaching.
“I have an affinity for Steve Spagnuolo because the relationship I kind of formed with him when we were competing against each other as coordinators,” McDaniels said. “He happens to have to the same agent that I have. We have had an opportunity to meet each other and really kind of get to know one another.”
Before Sundays matchup against Spagnuolo’s squad, McDaniels reflected on why he respects his opponent so much. He said the Rams coach is “putting his stamp” on the franchise, putting together a defense that consistently wreaks havoc.
“He is doing it his way, and I really respect the way that he does it,” McDaniels said. “He always makes you fix problems in the middle of the game, and that is not the case with every other coordinator. He will always take something, he will hurt you with it, and then you better fix it or else you could be in trouble.”
McDaniels isn’t the only person at Dove Valley familiar with the head coach in St. Louis.
For eight years in Philadelphia, Spagnuolo worked with Brian Dawkins, who earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2001 — Spagnuolo’s first year as defensive backs coach.
“Steve was huge in some of the things I was able to do in Philadelphia, a lot of it came from his insight and him helping me out,” Dawkins said. “He is a great human being, a great guy to talk to, very approachable, and he is a straight-shooter as well.”
For his part, Spagnuolo reflected praise back onto McDaniels and Dawkins, whom he said he “respects a great deal and loves even greater.”
On Sunday, McDaniels and Spagnuolo will match wits as head coaches for the first time, and Spagnuolo expects a chess match from a coach who knows how to utilize each piece of his team.
“One thing about Josh is that he’s a creative guy,” Spagnuolo said.
“He’s going to take his talent, whatever he has asset-wise, talent-wise and he’s going to use it effectively. I can see that throughout the film that I watch. I have a great deal of respect for him. He’s done a lot of good things in this league as a coordinator and he’s doing a lot of good things (in Denver) as a head coach.”
INJURY REPORT
Andre’ Goodman (hip), Darcel McBath (quadricep) and Demaryius Thomas (ankle) did not practice all week and are out for Sunday. D.J. Williams (concussion) was limited in practice all week and is questionable, while Robert Ayers (foot) fully practiced all week and is probable.
For the Rams, WR Danario Alexander (knee) was limited all week in practice and is questioable. P Donnie Jones (left calf) was limited all week as well, but he is probable, and WR Laurent Robinson (toe) and T Rodger Saffold (shoulder) are also probable after fully participating all week in practice.
-Gabe Hiatt, DenverBroncos.com
Below are photos from Friday’s practice:
Tags: Denver Broncos, Head Coach Josh McDaniels, St. Louis Rams, Steve Spagnuolo, Week 12
i dont think you could talk him into leaving nebraska! good place for him. and he is a disciple of their most beloved and succesful coach in school history i believe.
Why do people keep saying that Bolwen is still paying Shanny? That stopped the second he became the Redskins HC just like any other coach who was fired before the end of his contract and the went out and got another HC job.
What you two guys are totally failing to recall here is that McD has been telling us repeatedly that he is not re-buliding now and never was.
Actually they made a deal with the Redskins to where the Broncos pay Shanny half his salary this year and same next year, 3.5 mil each year, for real.
@ carnagebronc… huh?? how could i fail to note something that wasnt stated? and what do you mean no solid nucleus? we have a young O line that should be together for years. we have our QB of the future. 2 rookie WR’s, a second year back with huge, IMO, potential. a power back thats on IR. and a great slot reciever in eddie royal. get a good pass catching tight end and we look pretty good on Offense i think….. so what am i missing??
ya southstander, i thought the same thing a while back but yes, the broncos are in fact still paying shanny over 3 mil for this year and next!
@ carnagebronc… and if you read my posts i actually made it VERY clear that what McD has done is get worse each year as opposed to better like those 2 other coaches mentioned in those stats.
@ bay… that must be coach talk for exploding a team.
the not rebuilding thing i mean!
Boys and girls, time for me to put my Bronco costume on and go get called cheater by the Cowboys and Texans fans at the sports bar, boy thanks McD.
Peyton Hillis…… I am extremely happy that he is finding success in the NFL.
i get called worse on a daily basis. Mainly because I live in a predominately Raider neighborhood and have had to endure 5 and 6 year old yell profanities and have my car taged with Broncos suck, etc.
ya steve me too. just wish it was with the broncos!
I support Kyle Orton. Not so much for McD.