The Kansas City Chiefs are one step closer to parting ways with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy after the Atlanta Falcons announced the hiring of Kevin Stefanski as the team's next head coach.
Stefanski was also in the running for the Tennessee Titans job, making him a clear competitor for Nagy based on his experience in the head coaching role. For the Chiefs, they appear to be one step closer to bringing in a new offensive coordinator, as NFL Insider Jordan Schultz offered a promising report on Nagy's potential exit.
""Sources: The Titans are beginning to finalize their HC candidates — with Jeff Hafley, Matt Nagy and Kevin Stefanski all scheduled for in-person interviews next week. My understanding is there could be more as well. Hafley, I’m told, is a likely finalist everywhere he’s interviewed — including the Dolphins, Raiders, Steelers, Cardinals, Browns — should he choose to proceed with all six.""Jordan Schultz e
This report makes it clear that Nagy is one step closer to landing the Titans' job with Stefanski now off the board. This leaves Hafley and Nagy vying for the position, with Hafley appearing to have a chance to land a far more enticing role. For the Chiefs, this is ideal for a franchise that badly needs a reset at the coordinator position and should be more urgently searching for an answer to the position.
Why Nagy is such a viable head coaching option remains a mystery based on Kansas City's offensive regression since the coach replaced former OC Eric Bieniemy. The Chiefs averaged 29.2 points per game in Bieniemy's last season, dropping all the way to 21.8 points per game upon Nagy stepping into the role. This signaled a regression in creativity and the ability to take pressure off Patrick Mahomes as well. No question, the Titans' hiring Nagy is a win for the Chiefs and appears to be increasingly likely.
Chiefs OC Matt Nagy Closing In on Potential Head Coach Opportunity
It is worth mentioning that Robert Saleh is scheduled for an in-person interview with the Titans and could be viewed as a serious option as well. However, it is hard to believe that the former New York Jets head coach would take on arguably the only situation worse than New York's a season after rebuilding his value as the San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator.
This reiterates how close Kansas City is to moving on from Nagy. Ideally, the coordinator is likely to receive a head coaching job, making it so Andy Reid isn't forced to fire any of his coordinators. Despite this season's failure, there appears to be a sense of apathy regarding making meaningful changes in Kansas City.
With this in mind, it is ideal that Nagy lands the Titans' job and the decision is taken out of Reid's hands. This appears to be the path we are walking down, with the franchise quickly running out of options and Nagy's likelihood of being hired continuing to move in the right direction.