Andy Reid explained part of his decision-making process to replace Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs. The legend said that a key factor was that Nagy has offers to become an NFL head coach, and understanding that it was a great opportunity for him, he decided to pursue the return of Eric Bieniemy.
“I know both guys and I know them well. I’ve worked with them hand in hand. I’ve won championships with them. So, here’s Matt Nagy in a position where he’s got an opportunity potentially to move on and great things could happen for him and his family. On one side, I’m pushing that. I’m saying: ‘Let’s go man, do your thing.’ On the other side, I’ve got to sit there and go: ‘Who’s going to replace this guy that just came off of winning a couple of championships?’ So, Eric Bieniemy becomes an obvious guy that you want to talk to.”
Nagy, like Bieniemy, won the Super Bowl twice with the Chiefs and was a key figure in developing Patrick Mahomes’ talent. However, with ten head coaching vacancies around the NFL and his contract expiring, Reid and Nagy felt it was best to go their separate ways.
Chiefs questions for 2026 NFL season
In addition to the changes on the coaching staff, the Chiefs face two major questions. The most important one is whether Patrick Mahomes will be ready to return on time after a serious knee injury. At the moment, the quarterback is expected to be available from the start of the 2026 season.
The second situation is whether Travis Kelce will retire or if, with Bieniemy’s return, he decides to come back and try to win another Super Bowl. A few days ago, the tight end praised Matt Nagy’s replacement.
As expected, Reid also spoke highly of Bieniemy and is excited about his return. “I think he’s a great fit. He was a great fit when he was here. He’ll be a great fit now that he’s back. I’ve had success with bringing guys back into the fold and things happening. So, as an organization, I think everybody’s fired up to see that we’re able to replace a great guy with another great guy. I know everybody can function well together. That becomes important to me.”