Why Steve Spagnuolo was seemingly given a timeout during Ravens-Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo seemingly got away with something he was not allowed to do during his team’s season opener at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night.

As the Chiefs were in red zone defense against the Ravens late in the second quarter, the game broadcast showed Spagnuolo, not Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, trying to call a time out for Kansas City, which the official allowed.

That’s seeimingly a big no-no for Spagnuolo and the official, as only players and head coaches are allowed to call for timeouts in the NFL.

Did the official screw this up and give Spagnuolo a timeout he wasn’t allowed to call?

Refs let assistant coach Steve Spagnuolo call a timeout instead of HC Andy Reid… #BALvsKC pic.twitter.com/TmCRdZzApt

— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) September 6, 2024

Well, apparently not. Kansas City Star columnist Sam McDowell observed that Reid called the timeout first, which was granted by the official at the back pylon.

To McDowell, Spagnuolo had not spotted the exchange and was trying to notify the near ref who apparently also didn’t notice that Reid had called and been given a timeout.

This video doesn't provide the full context. Andy Reid called timeout first. The judge at the back pylon noticed Reid, and gave it to him.

Spags didn't spot that, and because the near ref had not seen Reid's TO, Spags raced in, as seen here. But timeout had already been granted https://t.co/NwfohwBFGA

— Sam McDowell (@SamMcDowell11) September 6, 2024

So that’s apparently what happened. The exchange between Spagnuolo and the official was perfectly within NFL rules since Reid called and got the timeout first.