Eric Bieniemy Is the Reset the Chiefs Have Been Avoiding
These are still the Kansas City Chiefs. More importantly, this is still a franchise with Patrick Mahomes. It is still the same organization that, just a year ago, was a game away from its third straight Super Bowl appearance.
Given all that context, what the Chiefs do next matters. Kansas City does not need a rebuild. This isn’t a tear-the-house-down situation. Instead, it’s a recalibration. Simply put, this is about sustaining success before it slips away entirely. The Chiefs missed the playoffs this year for a multitude of reasons, but pretending they suddenly became talent-poor isn’t one of them. The problem wasn’t ability. Rather, it was direction. And, above all else, it starts with the offense.
A Stale Offense Wasting an All-Time Quarterback
Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks off the field after the game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images
Chiefs fans already know this. I’ve written about it. More importantly, you’ve lived it.
The Chiefs’ offense was ranked 20th in 2025,
The offense looked stale. Flat. Predictable. As a result, it didn’t pressure defenses. It didn’t dictate tempo. It didn’t force anyone to adjust. And when you have Patrick Mahomes, along with legitimate talent across the offense, that’s simply unacceptable.
So, naturally, the question becomes simple: what happened?
The answer, first and foremost, starts with coaching. This isn’t meant as a shot at Matt Nagy as a person. He’s respected in the building. Players like him. However, results are results. Every year he ran the offense, production declined. That responsibility belongs to the offensive coordinator. At the same time, Andy Reid also deserves accountability for not addressing it sooner. Still, according to all reports, Nagy is moving on. At this point, that door is closed.
And because of that, Eric Bieniemy’s hiring as the new offensive coordinator is the right move.
Why Bieniemy Makes Sense Now
With Bieniemy returning, I like the move. A lot.
Right now, what Kansas City needs most isn’t a new playbook or another schematic revolution. Instead, what they need is daily accountability. That’s exactly what Bieniemy brings.
Andy Reid is elite at the big picture. In fact, he’s one of the greatest play designers in NFL history. He sets culture, commands respect, and leads a locker room better than almost anyone. However, because of his personality-calm, player-friendly, relationship-driven—he needs a bad cop to play off of him so that details don’t slip. That’s where Bieniemy comes in. He has always been that guy.
He’s not known as a brilliant play designer like Reid, and that’s okay. That’s not his value for Kansas City. Instead, his value is in cleaning up the offense. When a new concept is installed, Bieniemy is the one demanding that it be run correctly. Every step, every rep, every day. Timing. Spacing. Execution. No shortcuts. For that reason alone, his presence matters because that level of accountability has been missing.
The Trust That Once Defined the Offense
There’s a reason Bieniemy’s name never stopped coming up in Kansas City.
Fans aren’t being emotional. Rather, they’re reacting to a real absence—detail, urgency, preparation. Chiefs fans still remember Super Bowl LIV for a reason. Late in the game against San Francisco, Mahomes suggested running Wasp, a concept tied directly to Bieniemy’s influence.
That moment mattered not just because it worked, but because it showed trust. Mahomes trusted Bieniemy. Players trusted Bieniemy. And, as a result, the offense had answers when it mattered most.
That level of trust, however, hasn’t felt present the last three seasons.
The Decline Under Nagy Is Real
The numbers, unsurprisingly, back up what the eye test has been screaming.
Since Matt Nagy took over as offensive coordinator in 2023, Mahomes’ efficiency has steadily declined:
2023: 67.2%, 4,183 yards, 27 TDs, 14 INTs, 92.6 rating
2024: 67.5%, 3,928 yards, 26 TDs, 11 INTs, 93.5 rating
2025: 62.7%, 3,587 yards, 22 TDs, 11 INTs, 89.6 rating
By comparison, in 2022, during Beiniemy’s final year, the numbers looked very different:
5,250 yards, 41 TDs, 105.2 rating
In 2023, the excuse was the drops. In 2024, it was injuries. However, neither explanation accounts for the decline in 2025. That’s three straight years of regression. At that point, it’s not a coincidence. It’s a system problem.
Accountability Isn’t Optional
This offense hasn’t just struggled—it’s looked unprepared.
Receivers don’t adjust to scramble drills. Route spacing collapses late in games. Meanwhile, tempo disappears when urgency should rise. Those aren’t talent issues. Instead, those are coaching issues.
That’s where Bieniemy separates himself. He brings something no one else on the staff does: a voice players don’t want to disappoint. Every coaching staff needs someone willing to bark. Not everyone—but someone. And, ideally, that person is your offensive coordinator.
Defense naturally has that edge. Offense often doesn’t. As a result, Bieniemy fundamentally changes the dynamic.
The Bigger Picture: Protecting Mahomes
Mahomes’ injury didn’t create the Chiefs’ problems—it exposed them.
For far too long, the offense relied on Mahomes to fix broken plays instead of functioning as a system. Without him at full strength, there was no identity to fall back on: no reliable run game, no rhythm passing attack, no structure capable of carrying the load.
That has to change.
Going forward, the Chiefs need an offense that works before Mahomes improvises. Structure first. Creativity layered on top. A run game that demands respect. Receivers who understand space, not just speed. Tempo used with intent.
When that structure exists, Mahomes becomes the best closer in football. When it doesn’t, even greatness breaks down.
This Is a Reset, Not a Step Back
Eric Bieniemy’s return isn’t about nostalgia. Instead, it’s about standards.
The Chiefs built their dynasty on discipline, preparation, and accountability long before the rings arrived. That foundation still exists—it’s just been tested. And historically, great organizations evolve. They reset before the collapse forces them to.
Kansas City has done it before. This move signals they understand the moment.
If they get this right, the championship window doesn’t just stay open—it widens.
Mahomes shouldn’t have to save the offense.
He should finish it.
And with Eric Bieniemy’s return to the Chiefs, they can finally look ready to remember who they are.
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