Reports: Chiefs plan to hire Eric Bieniemy as their offensive coordinator – NBC Sports

Lead

The Kansas City Chiefs are reported to be set to bring Eric Bieniemy back as their offensive coordinator, according to multiple media accounts published Monday. Bieniemy, who served as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator from 2018 through 2022, is currently on the Chicago Bears’ staff as running backs coach after a 2024 stop at UCLA and a 2023 play-calling role with Washington. The move would replace Matt Nagy, who returned to the role in Bieniemy’s absence but has an expiring contract and is a reported finalist for the Tennessee Titans’ head-coaching vacancy. Reports also say the Chiefs will hire veteran coach Chad O’Shea as wide receivers coach to replace Connor Embree, who was fired.

Key Takeaways

• The Chiefs are reported to plan the rehiring of Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator; the reports surfaced on Monday morning and were carried by multiple outlets.
• Bieniemy was Kansas City’s offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022 before becoming Washington’s play-caller in 2023; that Washington stint lasted one season.
• After Washington, Bieniemy spent time at UCLA in 2024 and then joined the Chicago Bears as their running backs coach later that year.
• Matt Nagy, who became offensive coordinator when Bieniemy left, has an expiring contract and is reported to be a finalist for the Titans’ head coaching job.
• NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reports the Chiefs will also hire Chad O’Shea as wide receivers coach; O’Shea had been on the Cleveland Browns’ staff since 2020.
• Connor Embree, the previous wide receivers coach, has been dismissed, creating the vacancy O’Shea is expected to fill.

Background

Eric Bieniemy rose through the NFL coaching ranks in Kansas City, building a reputation as an offensive architect during a stretch that included multiple Super Bowl appearances. From 2018 to 2022 he was the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, a period during which the team sustained high offensive output under head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In 2023 Bieniemy left to call plays for the Washington Commanders; that tenure lasted one season amid staff turnover and organizational changes there.

Following Washington, Bieniemy took a 2024 position at UCLA before joining the Chicago Bears’ staff as running backs coach later the same year. Meanwhile, Matt Nagy — who had previously been with the Chiefs and returned to the offensive coordinator role after Bieniemy departed — now faces contract uncertainty as he is linked to head-coaching interviews, including a reported finalist spot with the Tennessee Titans. The reported hires would therefore represent both a return for Bieniemy and broader staff shuffling in Kansas City.

Main Event

Multiple outlets reported Monday that the Chiefs plan to hire Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, signaling a likely internal reset rather than a radical schematic overhaul. The reporting indicates the team has reached agreement in principle to bring Bieniemy back into a coordinator capacity; specific contract terms and an official Chiefs announcement had not been posted at the time of the reports. Bieniemy’s earlier run in Kansas City made him a familiar presence to the roster and to the organization’s offensive philosophy.

Sources also report the hiring of Chad O’Shea as the team’s wide receivers coach. O’Shea, who had been on the Cleveland Browns’ staff since 2020, is expected to replace Connor Embree, who was dismissed by the Chiefs. The combination of Bieniemy returning and O’Shea joining would reconstitute an experienced assistant core for Andy Reid’s offense.

Matt Nagy’s status is central to the staff turnover narrative: he had resumed the offensive coordinator duties after Bieniemy’s 2023 departure, but his contract is expiring and media reports list him among finalists for the Titans’ head-coaching vacancy. If Nagy departs, the Bieniemy hire would formalize a new offensive leadership structure; if Nagy remains, roles and responsibilities would need clarification between him and Bieniemy.

Analysis & Implications

Bringing Bieniemy back would be significant for continuity: he already understands the Chiefs’ playbook culture, the quarterback-room dynamics, and the organization’s expectations. That familiarity could shorten any transition period and reduce schematic churn, which matters most in-season and in training camp transitions. For a franchise that centers on quarterback play, continuity in offensive leadership is often prioritized to maintain stability for Patrick Mahomes and the coaching cadence that has produced sustained success.

Bieniemy’s prior tenure as play-caller in Washington in 2023 and his subsequent moves to UCLA and then to the Bears suggest a coach who has remained in demand despite mixed results in the singular Washington season. The Chiefs’ interest indicates they value his offensive philosophy and rapport with the organization. However, whether Bieniemy will resume play-calling duties or occupy a coordinator role without primary play-calling responsibility remains a consequential open question for schematics and coaching authority.

For Matt Nagy, the reported developments increase the likelihood of a departure if his finalist status with Tennessee advances to an offer. Nagy’s potential exit would close the loop on the temporary change the Chiefs made after Bieniemy left previously. For the wider NFL coaching market, the move underscores ongoing churn among coordinator-to-head-coach pipelines and the premium teams place on experienced assistants who have worked within successful franchises.

Comparison & Data

This timeline highlights Bieniemy’s movement since his first exit from Kansas City. The context matters: a coach returning to a prior successful environment often signals a preference for stability by the hiring franchise and a mutual belief that prior working relationships can be reignited to positive effect.

Reactions & Quotes

News outlets and league reporters were first to circulate the hiring reports; the Chiefs organization had not released an immediate, full statement at the time reports were published. Public reaction among fans and analysts was swift, focusing on the implications for play-calling and staff continuity.

“Reports: Chiefs plan to hire Eric Bieniemy as their offensive coordinator.”

NBC Sports (media report)

“The Chiefs are also expected to add Chad O’Shea as wide receivers coach.”

NFL Media / Tom Pelissero (media report)

“Matt Nagy has an expiring contract and is linked to the Titans’ head-coaching search; his status affects staff alignment in Kansas City.”

League coverage and team reporting (media summary)

Unconfirmed

• Whether Bieniemy’s return will include play-calling responsibilities is not confirmed and has not been announced by the Chiefs.
• Exact contract terms, start date, and official titles for both Bieniemy and O’Shea were not available at the time of reporting.
• Any internal staff reassignment beyond the reported hires, including detailed roles for existing assistants, remains unreported and unconfirmed.

Bottom Line

The reports that the Chiefs plan to rehire Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator point to a move prioritizing continuity and familiarity within a highly successful offensive system. Bieniemy’s previous five-year run in Kansas City, combined with his brief external stints, makes him a known quantity to the organization and its roster; that reduces onboarding friction compared with a wholly new hire.

Key outstanding items include whether Bieniemy will resume play-calling duties and the final status of Matt Nagy. Official confirmation and role definitions from the Chiefs will determine the full impact on the offense heading into the next season, but the reported hires already shift expectations for coaching alignment and the broader NFL coaching market.

Sources

• NBC Sports — media report
• NFL Media / Tom Pelissero — media reporting on staff hires