Trent McDuffie shares message Steve Spagnuolo gave DBs at halftime of Super Bowl
There were many big moments in the Chiefs’ 25-22 overtime win against the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, but here’s one that may fly under the radar.
Sunday night’s game was tied 16-16 at the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter when San Francisco had a third-and-5 play at the Chiefs’ 35-yard line. If the 49ers had picked up a first down, they could have run the clock down for a game-winning field goal.
Instead, Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie blitzed and forced 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy into an incomplete pass. San Francisco kicked a field goal but the Chiefs had time to drive for a field goal that forced overtime.
McDuffie said defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo called a blitz at just the right time.
“Coach Spags dialed it up and every time he dials up a blitz for me, I know it’s gonna work,” McDuffie said. “I got a lot of trust in him. I’m just happy I was able to help the back end because I know it’s hard in cover zero.”
Cover zero is man-to-man defense with no help deep, and as they’ve done all season, the Chiefs’ defensive backs played well Sunday in those alignments.
The 49ers converted just 25% of their third-down attempts in the Super Bowl. San Francisco had just 3 total yards in the third quarter as the Chiefs took the lead after trailing by 10 in the first half.
McDuffie said Spagnuolo had a message for the defensive backs at halftime.
“Coach Spags’ big thing in the second half was he told us DBs he was going to rely on us heavily in the man-to-man situations,” McDuffie said. “So I trusted my brothers and trusted my technique and being confident in who I am. I mean, I feel like that’s the only way I was able to make these plays.”
McDuffie tied for a team-best two quarterback hits in the victory and led the Chiefs with three passes defended. That included one in the end zone.
The Chiefs’ defense gave up more than 24 points just once all season, and McDuffie was proud of the unit’s success.
“It’s been a blessing being a part of this defense,” said McDuffie, who was a first-round pick out of Washington in the 2022 NFL Draft. “I mean, there’s no egos.
“There’s nobody in there with that superstar mindset. Everybody just wants to play for each other. What a team and being a part of something like this. I’m very grateful.”
This story was originally published February 12, 2024 at 12:54 AM.
