With the Kansas City Chiefs stepping into a new era, one change felt most inevitable: their offensive coordinator Matt Nagy’s exit. First, the team failed to secure a playoff berth in over a decade due to a subpar offense. Then, the 47-year-old refused to extend his contract with the team. After weeks of speculation, the final decision has now been made official.

“Forever a Super Bowl champ. Thanks for everything, Coach Nagy!” the Chiefs announced on Friday through their social handles.

However, should the Chiefs fans fret over the loss?

Throughout the 2025 season, the team struggled to sustain drives and find the end zone. Moreover, their play designs were, more often than not, repetitive or predictable. As a result, the offense that once created a dynasty in KC ranked 20th in yards and 21st in points. Sure, quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in Week 13, and top wide receiver Rashee Rice was suspended for the first six games of the season, but the issues didn’t start just this year.

Nagy took over the Chiefs’ OC role after Eric Bieniemy departed following the 2022 NFL season. Since then, Kansas City’s offense has been underwhelming for most of the parts. They ranked ninth in yards and 15th in points in 2023 and 16th and 15th in 2024. Not to mention their Super Bowl LIX meltdown.

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The Chiefs’ offense failed to put any points on the board in the first half. They followed it up with six points in the third quarter and 16 in the fourth quarter during garbage time when the win was clearly out of their hands against the Philadelphia Eagles, who scored more than the Chiefs’ final score in just the first half. Moreover, sacked Mahomes six times and generated 26 pressures without blitzing him once.

Yet, Nagy wanted to call plays in KC, while the offense he helped create kept falling apart in the last three seasons that he handled it. Seemingly, moving on from him was head coach Andy Reid’s only way to reset the offense.

The move is Kansas City’s first notable offseason decision. It also marks the second time Nagy has moved on from the Chiefs.

Matt Nagy’s Chiefs past and NFL future

Nagy originally followed Andy Reid from Philadelphia in 2013 as a quarterbacks coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2016 and parlayed that two-year run into the Chicago Bears’ head coaching job in 2018.

After a four-year run in Chicago, Nagy returned to Kansas City in 2022 as a senior assistant and quarterbacks coach. The following year, though, Kansas City promoted him again to offensive coordinator. Fast forward to now, a turbulent 6–11 finish combined with an expired contract led to a mutual parting, even though respect for his impact remains.

The decision, however, leaves Nagy’s immediate future unresolved.

Reports indicated he was eyeing a return to a head coaching role in 2026. The Tennessee Titans emerged as his preferred landing spot after two interviews, including a second meeting earlier this week. That opportunity, however, slipped away.

The Titans hired former New York Jets head coach and current San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh instead. Another landing spot is off the table, as the Ravens named Chargers DC Jesse Minter as their next head coach.

Nagy has also interviewed with the still-vacant Cardinals and Raiders. For a brief moment, it seemed possible Kansas City could circle back to Nagy if he missed out on the Titans job. But that option vanished once the Chiefs brought Bieniemy back into the fold, a move that could also have ripple effects on Travis Kelce’s future and his ongoing retirement considerations.

Eric Bieniemy could influence Travis Kelce’s retirement plans

Matt Nagy had a respectable run during his three years as the OC. Still, he couldn’t replicate the level of success Eric Bieniemy delivered in Kansas City. We’re talking about a stretch that included multiple Super Bowls, helping Patrick Mahomes grow into the face of the franchise, maximizing Tyreek Hill at his peak, and overseeing Travis Kelce’s rise into one of the best tight ends in the league.

Even before the Chiefs made the news official, reports suggested Bieniemy’s return could factor into Kelce’s retirement decision. At the time, Bieniemy was serving as the running backs coach for the Bears, but the possibility alone was enough to spark a reaction. Kelce didn’t hide his excitement once the idea gained traction.

“I can’t wait to see him back in the building. He’s one of my favorite coaches of all time,” Kelce said on the New Heights Podcast. “One of my favorite people of all time. I had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player and as a person. I just love the guy, and it’s going to be awesome to see him back in the building and seeing him wearing the Chiefs logo.”

Bieniemy is back in Kansas City as the Chiefs look to reset and push forward in 2026. As for Kelce, all signs point toward what will hopefully be one more run. Just consider how the year Bieniemy left the Chiefs, Kelce recorded his first season in seven years without crossing the 1000 rushing yards mark. 2025 marked his third consecutive season without reaching that milestone.

Even with his contract expired, a one-year deal to stay in Kansas City feels likely, as he would want to not just end his chapter with the Chiefs in a better way but also with Bieniemy and Mahomes right by his side. Though his final decision is still pending.

However, Reid isn’t bringing Bieniemy back under his logo just for the familiarity. Throughout his stay, the former OC has focused on accountability, wanting to win, while also loving the game of football. With him, KC will have previous connectivity to the game but also new ideas that Bieniemy may have learned under a coach like Ben Johnson. All that remains to be seen. What’s certain is Nagy’s chapter ending in Kansas City and Bieniemy’s yet another KC stint beginning.