To say that the Kansas City Chiefs' 2025 season was a disappointment would be a massive understatement. However, if there's a silver lining, it is that the forgettable campaign will allow the Chiefs to clean house and move on from several pieces, hopefully, coming back stronger than ever in September.
That might include offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. He's been under heavy fire for most of his tenure with the Chiefs, as the offense has seemingly regressed since he took the reins to replace Eric Bieniemy. Notably, that's why the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport's latest report is music to the fans' ears.
Chiefs Could Bring Eric Bieniemy Back to Replace Matt Nagy
Nagy's contract will be up at the end of the season. He's a potential head-coaching candidate for the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants, or he might rather leave to join another team that gives him a chance to call plays. That would leave the door open for a reunion with Bienemy:
"In either case, the Chiefs could welcome back former Reid assistants such as Mike Kafka or Eric Bieniemy, both of whom could inject some new ideas from their previous places of employment while retaining some familiarity," Pelissero and Rapoport wrote on Saturday. "In addition, a substantial roster reboot is also afoot, with the team significantly over the cap and coming off a rare, disappointing season."
Bieniemy is currently the Chicago Bears' running backs coach. He's found a decent amount of success in the Windy City, playing a key role in Bears RBs D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai entering Week 18 with a combined 1,816 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on 376 carries.
Known for his tough love and no-bull approach, Bieniemy might be the tough leader this offense needs right now. He's going to hold everyone accountable, and he's clearly more than familiar with head coach Andy Reid's offensive system. Reid will most likely continue to be in charge of play-calling, but if he were to give up those duties, it would probably be to Bieniemy.
The Chiefs ranked first in total offense in three of Bieniemy's five years with the team. They were fifth and third in the other two years. He was instrumental in quarterback Patrick Mahomes' development and success, and bringing him back might be the first step to returning to the mountaintop.
Kansas City has some major moves to make in the offseason. Reid must think long and hard about who he wants on his 2026 coaching staff, and it's clear that a familiar face in Bieniemy deserves consideration to be in the mix.