The Kansas City Chiefs have wasted no time rejuvenating a coaching staff that had grown stale and predictable. Turning back to Eric Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator was a great call, and the first of a series of moves that are continuing in an attempt to breathe life back into the offense and bring a sense of fun and creativity once again.
Among the potential names gaining traction as future hires was Cleveland Browns running back coach Duce Staley. However, according to Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams, Staley will be retained by the Browns.
Chiefs Hit Frustrating Duce Staley Roadblock
For the Chiefs, this isn't the first setback the franchise has faced, but it is discouraging to see Staley stay in Cleveland despite his perfect fit in Kansas City. The veteran coach has experience working with the Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Carolina Panthers, even serving in an assistant head coach role. This is the exact type of leadership and presence the Chiefs are looking to add.
While other options remain, the coaching field is picked over at this point in the offseason.
One potential option with Staley off the board is current Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach Deland McCullough. The coach spent two years with Kansas City previously, and it makes sense as a re-signing based on his history with Bieniemy. The two played together in their respective careers, as well as coached together in Kansas City from 2018 to 2020.
Still, there is no denying that not landing Staley is a setback in what has been an otherwise strong offseason. It would've been nice to land the team's primary target and continue the momentum, but there is no denying the strong additions that have already been made. Much of this is addition by subtraction with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy departing to take the OC position with the New York Giants.
The Chiefs' coaching changes come after a season where they averaged 21.3 points per game, the lowest total of the last decade. Those struggles highlight why the coaching staff continues to undergo such dynamic changes, looking for ways to retool while keeping the dynasty alive after failing to make the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era.
For head coach Andy Reid, this shows a great deal of awareness and a needed urgency that has been lacking in the past two seasons. Even in failure, it is nice to see the Chiefs attempting to improve and having an open mind to taking risks.
McCullough is still a solid potential hire, but simply not the exciting addition that Staley would've been. A rare offseason miss for a Chiefs franchise that has already started the NFL offseason on the right foot.