Nothing about the Chiefs’ 2025 season seemed to go right, particularly with quarterback Patrick Mahomes tearing his ACL in December.
But with the club out of the postseason for the first time since 2014 — let alone the first time in the Mahomes era — Kansas City will have a chance to reset in some different ways this offseason.
One of those factors appears likely to be the team’s offensive coordinator. Matt Nagy, who has held the role since 2023, is a popular choice on the head coach interview circuit in this cycle. But even if Nagy doesn’t land a top job, he is reportedly looking at becoming a play-calling offensive coordinator for another team.
With that, the Chiefs could bring back current Bears running backs coach Eric Bieniemy or someone else to infuse the club with something new on offense.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mahomes said he’s hoping Nagy gets another chance to be a head coach, as he’s done a lot of great things to help him in his career. But there are some traits he’d like in Kansas City’s next OC.
“Obviously, there’s names out there, but with how many vacancies there are at the head coaching job, you have to let that all play out to see how you build the staff,” Mahomes said. “I know coach Reid — if ‘Nags’ is able to get another head coaching job, that he’ll have a good plan of who he wants to bring in.
“But for me, I just want someone that loves football, that cares about football, wants to give everything they can to win, to hold people accountable, and then to bring new ideas every single day,” Mahomes continued. “That’s something that we have to continue to do if you want to continue to be great in this league, is you have to continue to evolve and get better and better and that’s something that we’ll try to do here and I want to get back to that winning culture of being accountable to each other and going out there and playing great football every single day, practice or game.”
It stands to reason that Mahomes — who also mentioned that he’s targeting a Week 1 return to play — will have some input on who the next offensive coordinator might be. With several offensive assistants departing the franchise for one reason or another this offseason, we’ll see how Kansas City’s staff turns out and how that affects the club’s offense in 2026.
Chiefs Clips
It was previously reported that the Chiefs fired wide receivers coach Connor Embree, but he wasn’t the only departure after the team’s 6-11 season.
Head coach Andy Reid also let go of running backs coach Todd Pinkston, and two other assistants left for other jobs, Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star reports. Defensive assistant Louie Addazio accepted the offensive line job at UNLV last week, and assistant defensive line coach Alex Whittingham joined his father, Kyle, at the University of Michigan.
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is interviewing for head coaching jobs. He is among the leading candidates for the Tennessee job, where former Chiefs assistant General Manager Mike Borgonzi is leading the search as the Titans’ General Manager.
Nagy also could pursue offensive coordinator jobs to become a primary play-caller again.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL during his team’s Week 15 loss to the Chargers.
But unsurprisingly, Mahomes is aiming to be back for the start of the 2026 season.
In a video conference with Chiefs reporters on Thursday, Mahomes said his goal is to return Week 1.
“Rehab’s going great so far, just hitting all the checkpoints that the doctor wants you to do, getting the strength and the range, mobility back,” Mahomes said. “So, that’s been going great, been doing all of it here in Kansas City so far. Julie [Frymyer, Chiefs assistant athletic trainer] has been crushing it, pushing me. The doctor kind of gives you goals to get to, and I just maximize those, and they hold me back because I always want to go a little bit further. So, it’s been going great.
“I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctor said that I could be, but I can’t predict what’s going to happen throughout the process. But that’s my goal. So, I’ll try to prepare myself to be ready to play Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and giving us the best chance to win. So, obviously, I’ll hopefully be able to do some stuff in OTAs, then get to training camp and hopefully be able to do a lot there, too. So, I’m excited for the process. It’s a long process, but I’m excited for it.”
Mahomes has gone through some injury issues before, but this is his first major injury with an extended rehab process since he became a pro. Mahomes, 30, completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 3,587 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2025.
The Ravens have completed another interview with a head coaching candidate.
They announced that they interviewed Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy on Sunday. He is the fifth candidate to meet with the Ravens since they fired John Harbaugh last week.
Nagy has also either interviewed with or scheduled interviews with the Cardinals, Raiders and Titans in recent days. He has been the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator since 2023 and was 34-31 as the Bears’ head coach from 2018-2021.
The Ravens have also interviewed Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, and Broncos quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator Davis Webb.
The Commanders have interviewed Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen for their vacant defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.
Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones reacted to the news on social media, replying, “Oh, sh!+. . . . .”
Cullen entered the NFL as a defensive assistant in 2006 with the Lions. He returned to the college ranks in 2009 before the Jaguars hired him as their defensive line coach a year later. He also was the defensive line coach for the Browns (2013), Bucs (2014-15), Ravens (2016-20) and joined the Chiefs in that role in 2022.
In 2021, Cullen was the defensive coordinator of the Jaguars.
The Commanders are seeking to replace defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr., whom they fired earlier this week.
The Chiefs have already lost assistant defensive line coach Alex Whittingham to the University of Michigan, and they fired wide receivers coach Connor Embree.
Few things are more entertaining than pettiness in motion. And at least one Missouri lawmaker has chosen to go next-level petty when it comes to the eventual relocation of the Chiefs to Kansas.
Via Hannan Falcon of KY3.com, Missouri senator Nick Schroer has introduced a resolution that would remove the title of official football team from the Chiefs, giving it instead to the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks.
“[B]ased on recent events, it has become clear that the will of the people of the state of Missouri has changed with regard to the designation of the Kansas City Chiefs as the official NFL football team of this state,” the resolution states, “and . . . the Kansas City Chiefs football organization has indicated that, despite years of fan support and financial support from the citizens of this state, the team wants to relocate the team to the state of Kansas.”
Missouri had a full and fair chance to keep the Chiefs. And the people of Jackson County, Missouri, made their will known — loudly — in April 2024, by overwhelmingly rejecting a ballot measure that would have extended an existing sales tax to finance a major renovation of Arrowhead Stadium.
Likewise, the elected officials who were in position to come up with an end run around the public voting process failed to do so.
The Chiefs simply did what any business ever does. They made a business decision. And Kansas found a way to come up with the cash to get the Chiefs to make a business decision to move their business across state lines.
The UFL, which owns the Battlehawks, could do the same thing, if the league’s business interests point to moving out of Missouri. Like the UFL did with three of the league’s eight franchises after the 2025 season.
That’s the fundamental reality. Football is business. And the people who own football teams will always make business decisions.
Like the Cardinals did when they left Missouri. Like the Rams did when they left Missouri. Like the Chiefs will be doing when they leave Missouri.
As previously explained, the door isn’t closed on Missouri keeping the Chiefs. They can still come up with something that could get the Chiefs and the NFL to decide to make a different business decision.
Regardless. it’s all business. It’s never personal. Football is never “family.” Except when it’s good for business to pretend that it is.
Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice is facing another NFL investigation. And, possibly, another suspension.
The recent social-media domestic violence allegations against Rice, which the Chiefs acknowledged on Wednesday, have sparked an inquiry by the NFL.
“We have been in contact with the club about the matter which will be reviewed under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy,” the league told Mark Maske of the Washington Post on Thursday.
Rice served a six-game suspension to begin the 2025 season following a March 2024 street-racing incident that caused multiple injuries. If the league determines that he committed domestic violence, Rice faces enhanced penalties as a repeat offender.
For domestic violence, the baseline punishment is a six-game suspension.
The key question will be whether the alleged victim chooses to cooperate with the NFL. There’s no apparent criminal complaint or lawsuit. The league has no independent subpoena power. If the alleged victim refuses to talk to league investigators, the process will be short circuited.
The Ravens are taking a look at an experienced candidate this weekend for their head coaching vacancy.
According to multiple reports, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will interview for the role on Sunday.
Nagy, 47, was Bears head coach from 2018-2021, accumulating a 34-31 record. He’s been back with the Chiefs since his tenure ended, serving as senior assistant and QBs coach in 2022 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023.
The Cardinals, Raiders, and Titans have also expressed interest in Nagy during this coaching cycle. Nagy is meeting with the Raiders on Thursday.
Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice could be facing more scrutiny from the NFL.
The Chiefs have issued a statement acknowledging a recent claim that Rice has committed domestic violence.
“The club is aware of the allegations on social media and is in communication with the National Football League,” the Chiefs said, via Colin Salao of FrontOfficeSports.com. “We have no further comment at this time.”
The allegations emerged Wednesday on Instagram.
Presumably, the league will investigate. The fact that Rice served a six-game suspension under the Personal Conduct Policy in 2025 for a street-racing incident in 2024 would potentially lead to enhanced penalties, if the league determines that he committed domestic violence — which per the policy calls for a baseline suspension of six games.
There’s no evidence that criminal charges have been filed, or that he has been sued in civil court. Regardless, the fact that the Chiefs have issued a statement, and that the Chiefs have been in communication with the league office, means that an investigation is inevitable. It possibly has already begun.
A second-round pick in 2023, Rice is currently eligible for a second contract. In eight 2025 games, he had 53 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns.
The Chiefs have parted ways with wide receiver coach Connor Embree, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports.
Rapoport adds that Embree might not be the only change that Andy Reid makes to his staff after a disappointing season.
Hollywood Brown was the Chiefs’ leading wideout this season, finishing with 49 catches for 587 yards and five touchdowns. Tight end Travis Kelce led the team with 76 receptions for 851 yards and five scores.
Embree was in Kansas City for seven seasons, the past three as the team’s wide receivers coach. He spent two seasons as an offensive quality control coach (2021-22) and two seasons as a defensive assistant (2019-20).
Before becoming an NFL coach, Embree was on coach David Beaty’s staff at the University of Kansas as a graduate assistant for two seasons. He worked with the offense and special teams.
He also spent time in the high school ranks as the offensive coordinator at Blue Valley West High School and as the wide receivers coach at Fairview High School.
