Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs have officially announced Eric Bieniemy as their new offensive coordinator. The decision was inevitable, as Matt Nagy’s contract had expired and he will not continue with the team.
During the 2025 season, Bieniemy excelled as running backs coach with the Chicago Bears as part of an impressive staff led by Ben Johnson. Because of that, the assistant acknowledged that it was a very difficult decision to accept the offer to reunite with Patrick Mahomes and possibly Travis Kelce. The key factor was Reid.
“It was real, real tough making this decision, but, it was an opportunity to come home. Andy Reid picks up the phone and that’s the only person that you’ll say: ‘Hey, you know what? It might be time to return home because he’s giving me this opportunity.’ More than anything, it was very tough. I’m fired up about this opportunity. I’m looking forward to it and it’s time to get back in the saddle.”
New coach for Chiefs in 2026
Eric Bieniemy returns to the Chiefs for a second stint with the team. He previously had great success as running backs coach from 2013 to 2017, before taking a major leap in his career as offensive coordinator, helping Patrick Mahomes from 2018 to 2022. They won the Super Bowl twice working together.
Travis Kelce could reunite with Eric Bieniemy
Additionally, the arrival of Eric Bieniemy could prompt Travis Kelce to postpone his retirement decision, as the tight end has expressed his excitement about reuniting with the longtime coach. In this scenario, the Chiefs’ 2026 season could feature a star-studded lineup on and off the field with Mahomes, Kelce, Reid, Bieniemy, and Steve Spagnuolo.