The Kansas City Chiefs' ship has sunk. Matt Nagy is still afloat.
Nagy, the Chiefs' offensive coordinator since the 2023 season, is being mentioned, once again, in close conjunction with the Tennessee Titans head coach opening. It's an interesting development for Nagy's name to persist despite the lack of success for the team's he's coaching.
The Chiefs have not had a good season, to state the obvious. Their 6-8 record has them firmly in third place, saved only by the lowly Las Vegas Raiders in the AFC West. Their streak of nine conseuctive division titles went out the window weeks ago, and the playoffs are off the table as well. Patrick Mahomes has only ever played until the end of January in his career, but this year, a post-New Year's vacation was likely on the books even before he tore his ACL.
Back to Nagy. The OC has come endured heavy criticism from fans who have called for his ouster, despite metrics that speak to the unit's effectiveness. The Chiefs are ranked No. 15 overall in the NFL in points scored and No. 7 in total yards. They're fifth in offensive DVOA as well. All of these metrics point toward Nagy's success (or at least positive influence as part of a collective whole under Andy Reid's leadership) but those numbers don't tell the whole tale.
The truth is that the Chiefs are out of the postseason, even with those numbers, because of serious sideline concerns. The team's discipline and focus should be called into question after watching maddening penalties and miscues in all facets of the game (not just offense). Player usage is baffling. Some play calls are predictable. The organization feels both stubborn and stale.
That's why any news of Matt Nagy as a hot name in the coaching carousel comes as good news for much of Chiefs Kingdom. Andy Reid isn't going anywhere, nor should he, but some imports (and exports) are needed on offense, defense, and special teams. (The front office is another thing, but the disconnect there is also very much to blame for the team's ills in 2025.)
The Kansas City Chiefs' offensive coordinator is going to be a "serious" head coaching candidate this offseason, maybe in Tennessee.
The latest report about Nagy's upside in the market comes from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who has been the primary conveyor of such glowing reports. Perhaps it's just a connection between Russini and Nagy's agent, but if she's right, Nagy has to be considered a frontrunner for the Titans job.
Remember, the Titans got rid of Brian Callahan just five weeks into the regular season. Former L.A. Chargers head coach Mike McCoy replaced him as interim, but there's little reason to expect him to transition into the long-term leader. Former Chiefs executive Mike Borgonzi made the move to axe Callahan for the chance to rebuild the team in his image, and maintaining a carryover as head coach isn't in the cards.
Russini says the Titans view Nagy as "serious candidate", and perhaps that's where the momentum will end. Borgonzi's familiarity with Nagy doesn't hurt here after years together in the Chiefs' organization. The Titans GM remained in K.C.'s front office through three general manager stints, dating back to Scott Pioli. Nagy joined the Chiefs in 2013 with Reid's arrival from Philly, and only left to take over the Chicago Bears head coaching role for four seasons.
The Titans, per Russini, also are looking at several other defensive coordinators for the job—a list that includes Indianapolis Colts DC Lou Anarumo, Chargers DC Jesse Minter, and Rams DC Chris Shula.
A very interesting wrinkle in this whole situation is the fact that Nagy is going to be a free agent either way. A new coaching rumor update from Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero on the NFL's official site states that Nagy decided against an extension with K.C., so the coach might want out as well. "Nagy will be a top head coaching candidate and could well land a job. If he doesn't, Nagy could become a hot candidate for a play-calling job elsewhere."
From all angles, it looks as if Nagy is heading somewhere else in 2026. Perhaps that will be a promotion despite the Chiefs' lack of success. Maybe it will be a sort of Eric Bieniemy-esque lateral move. Either way, the coaching carousel is likely to carry Nagy away from the Chiefs' sidelines in the next few months.