Chiefs To Bring Back Eric Bieniemy As OC

Bienemy is expected to return to his previous role with Kansas City, as first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Once a hire takes place, the Chiefs will have their Matt Nagy replacement in the building. Nagy has not yet taken a head coaching position, but the team has been preparing for a departure in his case.

According to Scoop City‘s James Palmer, this reunion has been in the works for a notable stretch. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke with Bieniemy last night after the Bears’ divisional round loss, Palmer adds. A plan to have Bieniemy depart Chicago – where he served as the team’s running backs coach in 2025 – is now in motion.

From 2013-22, Bieniemy worked on Reid’s staff in Kansas City. The final five years of that span included Bieniemy operating as the team’s offensive coordinator. Reid routinely campaigned for the 56-year-old to receive a head coaching opportunity, but numerous interviews across various hiring cycles did not result in a hire. In the end, Bieniemy took on a play-calling OC gig with the Commanders for 2023. One season in that role was followed by another one-and-done campaign at UCLA.

During last year’s hiring cycle, Bieniemy returned to the NFL ranks by joining Ben Johnson‘s staff. The Bears produced a record of 11-6 and advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs during Johnson’s first year as a head coach. The ground game played a key role in that success, and both D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai enjoyed strong seasons down the stretch in particular. Their performances have helped Bieniemy’s stock as a coordinator, although this KC reunion will no doubt see Reid continue to handle play-calling duties.

Nagy was a top Reid assistant during his first Chiefs stint, and he was the team’s OC for one season before becoming the Bears’ head coach. After that Chicago run ended, Nagy returned to Kansas City at first as a quarterbacks coach. Nagy has again held the title of offensive coordinator for the past three years, but this Bieniemy return signals he will be coaching elsewhere in 2026. Nagy has been connected to a number of HC openings in recent days, and a Titans hire in particular would come as little surprise given his Chiefs connections with general manager Mike Borgonzi.