Why Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo Isn’t Concerned About L’Jarius Sneed’s Sluggish Start

Entering the regular season, the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff believed cornerback L'Jarius Sneed could rediscover his star form in his second stint with the team. The numbers have told a much different story through the first pair of victories for Andy Reid and Co.

While KC has no losses to show for it, Sneed has been the most vulnerable defender on the field — and arguably the most exposed corner in the NFL.

The two-time Super Bowl champion has been targeted 21 times thus far, allowing an NFL-worst 18 catches for 171 yards and one touchdown. Quarterbacks have posted a 116.5 passer rating when targeting the receiver Sneed is covering, resulting in a dismal 41.2 Pro Football Focus grade (No. 93 out of 96 qualifying cornerbacks).

Those stats are almost too ugly to be sustainable, but they don't appear to concern the coaching staff in the slightest. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo expressed confidence in the veteran nickel corner during his press conference on Thursday.

"Listen, he's my guy. He fights through the whole week with only getting a certain amount of reps, because we want to be careful with his health," Spags said. "He brings an element to our defense that every coordinator likes. He's a nasty, tough guy that plays hard and fast. Quite frankly, because I know he's out there, I'll put those guys in situations that I trust he's gonna get it done."

L’Jarius Sneed — Sep 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (13) makes a catch defended by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (38) during overtime at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Signed in June after a disappointing two-year run with the Tennessee Titans, Sneed slowly worked his way back to full health during the offseason. Since departing Kansas City in 2023, his tenure with Tennessee was marred by injuries and resulted in the worst numbers of his career.

The Chiefs doubled down on Sneed's role as the slot corner during roster cuts, waiving training camp favorite Kader Kohou to pave the way for him to win the job. He remains on Kansas City's practice squad should Brett Veach decide a change is necessary.

Not only has Sneed handled the vast majority of snaps in the slot, but he's also played 81.9% of the defense's total reps. Christian Roland-Wallace has seen just 12.7% of the snaps, and rookie Jadon Canady has been used exclusively on special teams despite Mansoor Delane's absence with a lingering shoulder injury.

The Chiefs' most-targeted CBs through two weeks, per @SumerSports. Sneed's 21 targets lead the NFL. pic.twitter.com/6bATAv4iU1
— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) September 21, 2026

As the numbers suggest, Sneed has been a glaring liability in the secondary and played a role in KC's aerial defense looking porous at times during Sunday's win over the Colts. Still, Spagnuolo's faith in the Louisiana native hasn't wavered.

"He'll tell you that he's a little disappointed in his performance in the game, but that doesn't deter me at all from being confident in what he can do," Spagnuolo said.

There's certainly reason to wonder whether Sneed is simply regressing and falling out of his prime. He's clearly not the same player who helped Kansas City win back-to-back Super Bowls by anchoring the secondary.

If his performance doesn't improve in the coming weeks, it'll be interesting to see whether Spags is willing to give CRW more opportunities in the slot. But for now, the Chiefs are sticking with their veteran corner and trusting that the old Sneed is still in there somewhere.

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