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In Steve Spagnuolo the Kansas City Chiefs trust. With good reason.

Published

2 years ago

February 1, 2024

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In Steve Spagnuolo the Kansas City Chiefs trust. With good reason.

Like most football coaches, Steve Spagnuolo has lived a nomadic existence.

Five seasons at Connecticut. Two in Maine. One with the Frankfurt Galaxy. Two with the Baltimore Ravens. In 40-plus years as a coach, he’s worked for 15 different teams. The closest he’s come to permanence is when he’s worked with Andy Reid, spending eight years with the Philadelphia Eagles and the last five years with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Given what he’s done with the Chiefs, it’s a good bet the defensive coordinator has a place in Kansas City for as long as he likes.

“I still think ‘Spags’ should be up for assistant coach of the year,” defensive tackle Chris Jones said after the Chiefs harassed Lamar Jackson, the NFL’s likely MVP, into one of his worst-ever performances in last weekend’s AFC championship.

“What he’s been able to do with this defense from last year to this year, how we were able to overcome a lot of humps, how we were able to force a lot of guys to grow,” Jones added. “Last year, we gave up a lot of big plays. This year, L’Jarius Sneed had an All-Pro year, should have been All-Pro. (Trent McDuffie) had an All-Pro year. You could go down the list.”

It’s understandable for Patrick Mahomes and the offense to command most of the attention on the Chiefs, who are verging on New England Patriots-like dynasty territory with their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons. Mahomes is a generational quarterback, capable of making plays even the Madden creators can’t imagine. His connection with Travis Kelce is particularly potent, with the two bumping the likes of Jerry Rice, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski down a notch in the record books.

But the Chiefs aren’t playing the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl next weekend without their defense.

While the offense was a work in progress for much of the season, the defense carried the load, finishing second in the NFL in both points and yards allowed. Despite facing both Jackson and Josh Allen, Kansas City is giving up less than 14 points a game in the playoffs. Jackson finished with his lowest completion rate of the season while Allen had to dink rather than dunk, finishing with his fewest yards gained per pass attempt of the year.

No wonder Kansas City players broke out “In Spags We Trust” T-shirts after beating Baltimore.

“We believe in him wholeheartedly; he believes in us and we believe in each other,” said safety Justin Reid, who organized the T-shirts. “Nobody goes out there and tries to play hero ball. We just play the defense, play our responsibility with intensity and a little bit of violence, and good things happen.”

Spagnuolo’s success as a defensive coordinator is not new. He is, after all, the same guy who designed the game plan the New York Giants used to humble Brady and the previously unbeaten Patriots in Super Bowl 42 to conclude the 2007 season. Brady was under constant pressure and sacked a season-high five times in that game, which he later called “one of my least favorite football memories.”

But what Spagnuolo has done in Kansas City, this year in particular, might be his best work yet.

To say Spagnuolo inherited a defense that needed work is putting it nicely. The Chiefs ranked 24^th in the 32-team league in points allowed in 2018, and were second-to-last in yards allowed. Kansas City also was going through a generational change, with players like Allen Bailey, Justin Houston and Steven Nelson giving way to Frank Clark, Derrick Nnadi and Charvarius Ward − who will see his old team in the Super Bowl.

In the five years since Spagnuolo arrived in Kansas City, the Chiefs have been in the top 10 in fewest points allowed all but one year.

“That was important. We have a history together, so I knew what to expect and where he would go with things,” Andy Reid said when asked of the impact hiring Spagnuolo in 2019 had. “What he did with (the younger players) I thought was great, of teaching. All of his guys did that, they did a great job of teaching. The kids were receptive to it, and you’re seeing the rewards of it now.”

Spagnuolo’s strength is fitting his schemes to his players, rather than the other way around. He’s also one of the best at making adjustments, particularly in the second half. In the last eight games, the Chiefs have allowed seven points or less in the last 30 minutes.

In the three playoff games, it’s been a total of 10. That’s right. In the second half against Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins; Allen and the Bills; and Jackson and the Ravens; Kansas City allowed a touchdown and a field goal.

“When the games get bigger, the challenges get higher, (Spagnuolo) performs even better,” Mahomes said after the AFC championship.

Spagnuolo will have to against San Francisco, which ranked second in the NFL in yards this season and third in scoring. Christian McCaffrey is a colossal headache for the entire defense, but he’s far from the only problem. There’s also Deebo Samuel. And Brandon Aiyuk. And George Kittle. Shall I continue?

Even Brock Purdy, who has been dismissed by many as a game manager, showed last week against the Detroit Lions that he’s not to be taken lightly.

But if there’s anyone up for the challenge, it’s Spagnuolo.

“Is it one of the better defenses? Yeah, I’d say it’s one of the better defenses that I’ve been around,” Reid said Monday.

In Spagnuolo the Chiefs trust. With good reason.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

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Kansas

Kansas court sides with Stormont Vail in Medicaid payment dispute

Published

9 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

Kansas court sides with Stormont Vail in Medicaid payment dispute

Stormont Vail Healthcare is in a legal battle with the state government, alleging the Medicaid program was wrong to refuse payment for the hospitalization of a pregnant patient with complications.

At issue is a disagreement between the Topeka hospital and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment over whether inpatient health care services were medically necessary for the Medicaid patient’s last two weeks of pregnancy.

The Kansas Court of Appeals did not resolve that dispute, but it did side with Stormont Vail in a May 8 decision. The unanimous three-judge panel reversed a decision by Shawnee County District Court Judge Thomas Luedke and vacated an order from KDHE’s State Appeals Committee. The matter now goes back to the appeals committee for reconsideration.

The appellate panel was comprised of Judges Jacy Hurst, Thomas Malone and Stephen Hill, which heard oral arguments on Aug. 5. Hurst wrote the court’s opinion.

The lawsuit stems from a 2018 case of a pregnant patient, who is not named in appellate court documents. She was 28 years old at the time and had an intellectual disability among other complications, including rapid weight loss caused by hyperemesis gravidarum.

The woman was originally admitted at Newman Regional Health in Emporia before she was transferred to Stormont Vail. Part of the hospitalization during her third trimester was covered.

But the final two weeks were not because Sunflower Health Plan, one of the managed care organizations in the state’s privatized Medicaid program known as KanCare, refused to reimburse for the patient’s continued hospitalization through the day the child was born via cesarean section.

“We are here because the Kansas Medicaid program has wrongfully refused to pay for some of an inpatient hospitalization while a Medicaid beneficiary was at Stormont Vail,” said Amanda Wilwert, an attorney for the hospital, during oral arguments. “Stormont believes the inpatient care was medically necessary as defined by the Kansas Medicaid regulations.”

Court records and oral arguments show the state expected Stormont Vail to look into having a home health agency care for the patient in Emporia instead of continued hospitalization — even though home health generally does not take care of pregnant patients and her doctors believed the expectant mother was not stable enough to discharge.

“The way it’s supposed to work,” said Darren Sharp, an attorney representing KDHE, “is the managed care organization, in this case Sunflower Health, on behalf of KDHE reviews the medical records, asks about the appropriate level of care and whether there’s any other interventions that would be more cost effective or appropriate depending on the level of or depending on the patient’s records and the patient’s status.”

Sharp argued medical records showed the patients was getting better because of total parenteral nutrition, or TPN.

“This is when a tube, a PICC, is inserted and your minerals and your electrolytes and all of your nutrition is then intravenously provided,” Sharp said.

He said the treatment “was eliminating her vomiting, her diarrhea, she had no fever, her glucose levels were stabilized.”

In their ruling, the judges indicated the KDHE appeals committee primarily cared about the cost saving of using home health versus hospitalization while disregarding the treating physician for insufficient reasons and ignoring evidence on potential benefits or harms to the patient.

But the judges declined to resolve the dispute. Rather, unless the decision is appealed to the Kansas Supreme Court, the matter goes back to the KDHE administrative process.

There, the agency’s appeals committee must reconsider the case consistent with the Court of Appeal’s ruling. The published decision sets new precedent interpreting state laws and regulations on the Medicaid program.

“While this court provides no opinion on whether the disputed inpatient healthcare services met the definition of medical necessity,” Hurst wrote, “the record shows that some of the (appeals committee’s) factual findings were not supported by the record as a whole and that the (appeals committee) inaccurately applied the law when it failed to consider (the patient’s) individual characteristics and assess the harms and benefits of the healthcare intervention.

“In making a medical necessity determination, the reviewing agency must make an individualized determination based on the record as a whole.”

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

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Kansas Lottery Pick 3, 2 By 2 winning numbers for May 7, 2026

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

The Kansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 7, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 7 drawing

Midday: 6-2-2

Evening: 0-5-9

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from May 7 drawing

Red Balls: 07-15, White Balls: 02-16

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 7 drawing

05-08-21-44-48, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Kansas Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at select Kansas Lottery offices.

By mail, send a winner claim form and your signed lottery ticket to:

Kansas Lottery Headquarters

128 N Kansas Avenue

Topeka, KS 66603-3638

(785) 296-5700

To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a claim form, and deliver the form along with your signed lottery ticket to Kansas Lottery headquarters. 128 N Kansas Avenue, Topeka, KS 66603-3638, (785) 296-5700. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Kansas Lottery.

When are the Kansas Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3 Midday/Evening: 1:10 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. CT daily.
2 By 2: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Super Kansas Cash: 9:10 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Kansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Kansas City, Kansas, becomes sister city to Concepción, Argentina, ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

Published

2 days ago

May 7, 2026

Press Room

Kansas City, Kansas, becomes sister city to Concepción, Argentina, ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026

KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.

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Kansas City, Kansas, is now a sister city to Concepción, in the Tucumán province of Argentina.

The connection that carries deep personal meaning for members of the Kansas City area’s Argentinian community, with less than six weeks until Lionel Messi and their national team play at Kansas City Stadium (GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium).

Kansas City, Kansas, becomes sister city to Concepción, Argentina, ahead of World Cup

The official Sister Cities Agreement was signed Wednesday at Sporting Park, in a ceremony that also served as the kickoff of a broader cultural and economic initiative connecting Argentina and Kansas.

Federico Carmona has lived in the United States for more than two decades. He spent Wednesday afternoon cheering and smiling.

“This is my dream,” Carmona said.

For Carmona, the moment was personal — a merging of the two places he calls home.

KSHB/ Brian Luton

“This is a blessing,” Carmona said.

He continued, “Argentina is my heart. I was born in Argentina. I have so much passion for soccer. I used to play, my kids play. We never thought that Argentina was going to be in Kansas City. So that was a big, big surprise for us.”

Claudia Luna West, chair of the Sister Cities Association and a native of Concepción, Tucumán, was one of the driving forces behind the partnership.

“It means the world to me,” Luna West said.

She described the pairing of the two cities as a natural collaboration — like the ingredients of a perfect recipe coming together.

“Everything collaborates to be this great thing,” Luna West said.

That recipe metaphor extended to food. The event featured the announcement of a partnership between Kansas BBQ Empanadas and Jack Stack BBQ — a culinary symbol of the two cultures meeting.

“Now, empanadas aren’t going to be just an ethnic food. They’re going to be a landmark of Kansas,” Luna West said.

Mayor/CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK, Christal Watson, said the designation reflects the city’s diversity and its ability to connect with the world.

“I think it’s important that we set a global stage on how diverse we are and how beautifully, wonderfully made we are with all the different cultures,” Watson said.

Watson said shared experiences — including food — are what bring communities together.

“Food is a common link. Those are the things that get us engaged… those are the things that help us grow and be a better community overall,” Watson said. “We already have a flavor going on.”

Jake Reid, president and CEO of Sporting Kansas City, said the timing of the sister city announcement — with the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaching — felt right.

Jake Reid, President and CEO of Sporting Kansas City .png

“We’ve been planning this for so long. I think to have it on the doorstep now and be probably a month out is becoming very real and exciting,” Reid said. “They’re meant to be from… kind of everything we’ve got going on right now, for sure.”

For Carmona, the day was a long time coming.

“We can’t wait for all this to happen,” Carmona said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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