For the past three years, the Kansas City Chiefs went from having one of the most — if not the most — explosive offenses in the NFL to being right around the middle of the pack. That, mind you, is despite having an all-time great playcaller like Andy Reid in the building.
It doesn't take a football savant to realize that it's no coincidence that the offensive drop-off started as soon as Eric Bieniemy left his position as offensive coordinator. Matt Nagy returned and took his spot after a dismal head-coaching tenure, and it just wasn't the same.
That's why, now that Coach Bieniemy is back in town with his fire and tough love, Travis Kelce realized how much the team needed that push. When asked about Bieniemy's return, the all-time tight end may have inadvertently taken a shot at Nagy.
Travis Kelce says the Chiefs needed accountability
“One, you’ve got intensity. Intensity is the first thing. And that intensity is infectious. It makes you want to scream motherf***’ at everybody doing the wrong thing. And I love that sh*t. I don’t think there’s enough of that in this world, let alone in this building.” Kelce said of Bieniemy.
“[Eric Bieniemy]’s one of those guys where his accountability is going to p*** you off, but if you treat it the right way and respond the right way with it, you’re gonna become better from it, and it’s going to make the team a better team because of it. It’s one of those things that we really missed here in Kansas City,” added Kelce.
While he may not have intended that to be a dig at his former offensive coordinator, everyone can read between the lines. The Chiefs got too cute, too relaxed; there was no accountability, let alone someone who was not afraid to get in somebody's face and curse them out because of the lack of effort or a missed assignment.
Granted, that's not the only way to lead, coach, or inspire. In fact, Bieniemy's no-nonsense approach reportedly rubbed plenty of people the wrong way when he was with the Washington Commanders. Perhaps that's a telling reason why the Commanders have been a poor team for years. Chiefs veterans, however, seem to respond better to it.
Bieniemy rarely got the recognition he deserved. He was a victim of circumstances, with some giving Andy Reid all the credit because of his reluctance to relinquish play-calling duties. Moreover, he may not be great at job interviews; a sentiment that's become more widely known over the years. Otherwise, he would've been a head coach years ago.
He was instrumental in helping Patrick Mahomes become the dual-threat future Hall of Famer he is nowadays. He was also the mastermind behind the Chiefs' once-efficient running game, which has gone extinct since his departure.
For too long, this team felt too complacent. They settled for winning too many close games and pulling off late-game heroics and comebacks when they could've dominated from the jump; they had already shown they were capable of that.
Perhaps that comes with winning, or maybe Nagy simply wasn't the right guy to keep them on their toes. Maybe they needed Bieniemy's tough love and accountability. Whatever the case, the accountability coach is back in town, and Kelce is as fired up for his return as everyone else in the building should be.
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