For the first time in eight years, the Kansas City Chiefs were not involved in Sunday’s NFL doubleheader of conference championships. Head coach Andy Reid has been a staple of both the AFC and NFC title
games throughout his career, so with his 2025 team unable to even make the postseason, a change around him was not a surprising result.
The offensive coordinator spot has officially been turned over to Eric Bienemy, despite former coordinator Matt Nagy still searching for his next job. In total, five positions on the offensive coaching staff have been vacated since the end of last season. So far, the only official hire is Bienemy, but Reid made it clear he’s excited about the new chapter during a Zoom call with local media on Monday.
After a few spirited answers, Reid was asked about the noticeable energy in his words.
“I’m fired up to get in this offseason and get going,” Reid responded. “We didn’t do very well this past year, and that has not been our MO here. So I want to fix the problems we had in all phases. There will be people that move on, people that come in… change can be good sometimes for you, so that’s what I’m fired up about.”
Some will point at Bieniemy’s history with Reid and Kansas City as hardly a “change,” but his style is objectively different than Nagy’s. Reid acknowledged that and emphasized how Bieniemy straightforwardly communicates with players and coaches, including star quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“I’d tell you EB will be very direct with him,” Reid shared. “[Mahomes] knows it’s coming from a place of knowledge there.”
Still, there will be criticism that the change needed was in reference to his offensive scheme. Reid would agree that it needs a refresh — or a retooling, as he foreshadowed in December — so that’s what he hopes the newest hires help with.
“Everywhere you go in this business, you pick something up,” Reid explained. “You might take it with you, or you might say, ‘I don’t want to do that.‘”
“I welcome that, I always keep my ears and eyes open for things,” Reid assured. “That’s why we’re very seldom stagnant, and why, even with our record, I felt I could stand in front of you guys and go ‘listen, what worked for us the year before, it just flipped on us.’ That’s sometimes how this thing works, so now it’s making sure we get back and do the right things, correct some things, and then get them going in the right direction again.”
In the modern age of accessible information, Reid reminded those listening that new ideas can be introduced without further hiring. It just takes effort and willingness.
“You use all the technology that’s out there,” Reid pointed out. “There is no reason to be stagnant; you have too many different options, you shouldn’t have to bring in the latest, greatest here and there, all that. You have all that right at a finger tip for you, if you go that route.”
There will likely be little change in the chain of command for calling a play into Mahomes, but that’s because it is already a collaborative process. The positive change will simply be the new voices.
“I still enjoy calling plays,” Reid admitted. “But what I do, I’m also not afraid to delegate and get opinions from people. Even in certain situations, letting them go ahead and call things in different areas. We do this jointly. I keep it open, and I’ve felt that’s the best way. I want guys to contribute, I want them to work hard and be experts in their area, and then accumulate in all areas. I’ve always mixed and matched there, and it seemed to have been fairly productive.”
The change is welcomed by many in Kansas City. The head coach’s enthusiasm and upbeat energy when talking about the transition prove that it is already reinvigorating the people it needs to.
