Kansas City Chiefs fans hoping that Matt Nagy's time with the franchise is coming to an end were given good news this week via Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde. A clear top head coach target has been taken off the board with Notre Dame coming to new terms with head coach Marcus Freeman. The talented college coach was a clear option for teams desperate to turn their culture around; however, Freeman made it clear he isn't moving on to the NFL just yet, further opening the door for Nagy to become a possible offseason target.
As shocking as it might be for Chiefs fans to realize it seems Nagy is being viewed as a legitimate head coaching option in the upcoming offseason. This is great news for a coaching staff that appears unlikely to fire Nagy of its own accord. While head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo are understandably untouchable, there is no reasonable defense for Nagy's job to be secure.
What the Chiefs so badly need is a new perspective that can challenge the offense of Reid and help take pressure off quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he returns from an ACL tear. There needs to be someone in the room demanding change and pushing the Kansas City offense back towards its past heights. This all clearly isn't something that Nagy is capable of making the Freeman news all the more exciting.
Marcus Freeman News Could Push Matt Nagy to Leave Chiefs
With Freeman off the board, it seems that one of the eight expected openings could very well fall into Nagy's lap. It makes sense that those outside of Kansas City want to chase the greatness of the franchise and believe stealing from the coaching staff is the best path to doing just that. However, what they ignore is the offensive regression suffered since Nagy stepped into the Chiefs' offense.
While Reid is calling the plays and bears responsibility, it cannot all be put on the shoulders of the incredibly accomplished coach. It is the job of the offensive coordinator within Reid's system to come up with unique wrinkles and keep apathy from setting in. This is what former OC and current Chicago Bears running back coach Eric Bieniemy was so elite at doing during his time with the franchise.
For Kansas City, there is a possible path to a reunion with Bieniemy if the coaching pool continues to shrink and Nagy's chances of being hired continue to grow. It is a positive development that fans are already paying attention to, especially if it means maximizing the potential of every playmaker in the Chiefs' offensive unit.
It would be shocking to see Nagy not take any opportunity, considering the Chiefs' current struggles and the rarity of landing a head coaching spot. The fact that he might be without Mahomes for all of 2026 could further push him to look elsewhere for work.
It won't be long until the Chiefs are in full offseason mode, leaving time to tell if they'll do the right thing when it comes to Nagy's future with the franchise.