In 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs had some talent concerns, but that wasn’t the root of their offensive issues. There were admittedly limitations in the skill sets of some offensive players, but the team still had legitimate weapons capable of producing a functional offense. The real culprit was slippage. Over the past two or three years, the offensive detailing had fallen off a cliff. There was confusion around alignments and assignments, and it showed in their basic execution, from spacing on routes to penalties, drops, and a general lack of situational awareness. The offense ultimately reflected this, playing a brand of football that was consistently stagnant and sloppy.
Many in Chiefs Kingdom hoped the organization would pursue a new voice to assume the offensive coordinator role vacated by Matt Nagy. There is no doubt that hiring the likes of Kliff Kingsbury or Mike McDaniel would have injected new wrinkles, fresh concepts, and modern ideas into a stale offense. But the central question was always whether a coach with no experience working alongside an entrenched veteran head coach like Andy Reid would have the gravitas to challenge him. That becomes especially important when he slips into old habits.
Innovation matters, but authority matters more. Andy Reid is soon to be 68 years old. He is set in his ways and needs a counterbalancing personality alongside him, someone who can reinforce a standard and command excellence from their players. Eric Bieniemy has that experience and will not be intimidated by Reid. He will stand flat footed when it is time for a tough conversation. More importantly, the team does not have to choose between Bieniemy and fresh ideas. They can still hire a veteran coach to consult and serve as a schematic specialist who focuses on revamping the offense, someone in the mold of Brad Childress, who previously served this team in a consultant capacity. Reid has worked with a number of coaches who could provide that kind of expertise.
A familiar voice like Eric Bieniemy's will provide the authority and accountability the Chiefs’ offense has been missing.
The back half of Patrick Mahomes’ career is upon us, and this is an inflection point for the Kansas City Chiefs. Mahomes has been clear about what he wants from his next offensive coordinator. He covets new ideas, but he also emphasized accountability. Bieniemy is the voice who will set a standard and enforce it. Mahomes has reached the stage of his career where he can and should be a stronger advocate for what he needs from the franchise, but he will not have to be the bad cop reigning Reid in. He is in the midst of an intensive rehab process. He should be able to work through this recovery phase and simply be a quarterback.
Bieniemy is not the sexy hire this fanbase wants, but he brings something to the table no outsider can replicate. He has an extensive history with Reid, a voice Mahomes respects, and the authority to restore the championship standard that once defined this team. Kansas City is already set to replace its running backs coach and receivers coaches. Backfilling those spots with more depth of experience and positional knowledge will elevate the skill positions. Sharpening the way this offense is managed will act as a force multiplier for the staff changes around it.
The Chiefs can and should pursue modern concepts, but they also need a voice that can restore their identity. Hiring Bieniemy does not block innovation for this team. It is not a choice between stronger accountability or offensive creativity. It is both. Pairing him with an offensive specialist who can add new touches to the scheme will give this team the best chance to reclaim its championship standard.