The Kansas City Chiefs’ offseason is in full swing, and one of the biggest questions is the status of tight end Travis Kelce. Kelce’s journey to the Pro Football Hall of Fame could begin as soon as this offseason, as the 37-year-old has been contemplating retirement. With Patrick Mahomes’s recovery from a torn ACL and his engagement to a certain pop star looming, it would be understandable if he decided to hang up his cleats.
But before Kelce thinks about a life in the media or as the most well-known stay-at-home husband on the planet, the Chiefs may have given him something to think about. The Chiefs brought back Eric Bieniemy to replace Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator on Monday, and the success the two had as well as the admiration Kelce has for Bieniemy could give him another data point as he decides his future going into 2026.
Eric Bieniemy Could Be Chiefs’ Recruiting Pitch for Travis Kelce to Return in 2026
The last time Bieniemy and Kelce were on the same side, it produced some of the best years of his career. Bienemy became the offensive coordinator in 2018, and while Mahomes’s move into the starting role was a catalyst, Kelce took his game to another level, setting new career highs with 103 receptions, 1,336 yards, and 10 touchdowns.
As Chiefs fans know, that was only the beginning. In Bienemy’s five seasons as offensive coordinator, Kelce averaged 101.4 catches, 1,288.8 yards, and 9.4 touchdowns, producing his finest year in 2022 with 110 catches, 1,338 yards, and 12 touchdowns.
While the stats helped the Chiefs win the Super Bowl in 2019 (and perhaps a few fantasy football championships for their fans along the way), they also built the level of respect Kelce had for Bieniemy as he became one of the top coordinators in the NFL.
“Week in, week out, he has our team prepared and ready to go,” Kelce told ESPN after the 2021 season, as shared by Texan Live’s Chase Snyder on X. “Everyone says it’s an Andy Reid offense…[and] I’m not going to say it’s not, but it’s a collective group putting this offense together. I ask everybody [to] come on in, see who’s standing up in front of our offense, getting us ready for situational football. Who is in front of us, week in, week out, at halftime, trying to make adjustments? Who is the guy that’s rallying this group and has the motion as a player and as a coach to keep us firing as an offensive unit? And that’s Eric Bieniemy, and I’ve been a big fan of him my entire career. He’s done unbelievable things for my skill set, personally, and my mentality in terms of helping me grow as a player and he’s more than deserving [of a head coaching opportunity.]”
While Bieniemy never got his shot as a head coach, leaving Kansas City to become the offensive coordinator with the Washington Commanders and spending last season as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears, Kelce’s admiration never waned as he threw more praise toward him on his New Heights podcast when discussing Chicago’s success this year.
“I just love watching teams that have Eric Bieniemy as their coach,” Kelce said, in another clip shared by Snyder. “...There’s so much familiarity over there just from those guys and obviously hanging out with the tight ends.”
While Kelce’s observations came from afar, he has one last chance to experience it firsthand with Bieniemy coming back to Kansas City. Perhaps Kelce’s words and previous success were reasons why the Chiefs sought to bring Bieniemy back after three underwhelming seasons under Matt Nagy, and with Kelce a free agent, it’s more of a recruiting process by Kansas City to make an enticing sales pitch for him to return for a 13th season. Whatever side he’s on, Kelce has a lot more to think about with Bieniemy back in the fold.