After a 6–11 season upended by Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending knee injury and with Matt Nagy drawing head-coaching interest elsewhere, Alex Smith was floated by fans as a logical stopgap. But now, Smith has firmly shut down any idea of returning to the Kansas City Chiefs as their next offensive coordinator and pointed Andy Reid toward a different path forward.

“No, that would be, no, that would take a huge, no way,” Smith addressed these rumors directly during an appearance on the Up & Adams show. “No, it’s so hard. My kids are 14, 12, and 9. You take that job, and it’s like, ‘See you in five years?’ I love Matt, that’s my guy, but no.” 

After a disappointing season, Andy Reid’s Chiefs have already seen several assistants depart, including Alex Whittingham, Connor Embree, and Louie Addazio. The most notable potential exit, however, might be that of offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who has been interviewing for head coaching positions. Nagy reclaimed the OC role in 2023 following Eric Bieniemy’s departure, but despite a Super Bowl title that season, Kansas City’s offense steadily regressed and rarely resembled the unit that once defined the league’s standard.

As for Smith, after a standout 16-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Washington, he has stayed active in the football world as an analyst for ESPN. With Kansas City coming off its first non-playoff season in more than a decade, Smith had acknowledged that changes are inevitable, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.

Smith also had a message for Reid. When asked directly who could make sense as the next offensive coordinator, Smith immediately pointed to Mike Kafka, emphasizing Reid’s long-standing preference for familiar voices. Kafka previously spent five seasons on Reid’s staff and played a key role in Patrick Mahomes’ early development, before leaving in 2022 to follow Brian Daboll to New York. After Daboll’s dismissal in 2025, Kafka served as the Giants’ interim head coach and now enters the offseason without a clear landing spot.

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“Oh, I wouldn’t be shocked if they bring Kafka back,” Smith said. “Andy just rarely brings somebody outside of his circle. Kafka fits that so perfectly. He knows this Chiefs system so well.”

The 2026 NFL coaching cycle has become a frantic scramble, with a domino effect threatening to leave some teams without a top candidate. And Nagy, too, finds himself in an increasingly precarious position. While Nagy is actively interviewing for several head coaching vacancies, including roles with the Ravens, Raiders, and Cardinals, a wave of competition is blocking his path. 

The Chiefs need to decide as OC candidates are disappearing

In Tennessee, once considered his most likely landing spot due to front-office ties, the Titans have expanded their search to 17 candidates, signaling stiff competition for Nagy. On the other side is Andy Reid, who continues to call plays himself, an arrangement that has quietly made the Chiefs’ OC role less attractive to outside candidates. As proactive teams move quickly, Kansas City risks being left with limited options if Nagy departs late in the process.

Nagy’s contract with the Chiefs reportedly expired at season’s end, quietly pushing Kansas City into the market for a new offensive coordinator ahead of the 2026 campaign. Because Reid is waiting to see whether Nagy returns, the Chiefs are at risk of missing out on candidates already being snapped up elsewhere. While some fans have floated outside names such as Kliff Kingsbury, the internal pull of Reid’s system continues to shape the team’s decision-making.

Recently, Nagy sat down with NFL on CBS to read an anonymous breakdown of his time as a coach in Kansas City. In the interview, he reflected on his current focus.

“Right now, for me, the biggest thing as a coordinator right now in Kansas City is making sure that I’m doing everything I
can to empower our offensive staff,” the coach said. “Let the guys do what they can do and be great at it. So I have done that this year. I feel like the coaches have done a great job, and I’ve been able to empower them and delegate.”

Ultimately, this situation comes down to timing. Smith indicated he has heard Nagy is expected to leave, a development that would force Reid’s hand after weeks of waiting. If Nagy returns, the status quo holds. If he exits late, Kansas City risks scrambling to fill one of the most important roles on the staff. For a franchise unaccustomed to uncertainty, hesitation may prove more costly than the decision itself.