Andy Reid isn’t pressing the panic button. He’s not overhauling the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense.
He’s not even handing over the reins. What he is doing is bringing back a familiar face in Eric Bieniemy - and that move says a lot about what Reid believes this team needs heading into 2026.
Bieniemy, after a three-year journey that included stops in Washington, UCLA, and most recently with Ben Johnson’s staff in Chicago, is back in Kansas City as offensive coordinator. And while Matt Nagy, his predecessor, is still on the market after the Titans chose another direction, Reid is doubling down on continuity over change.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t a revolution. It’s a recalibration.
Reid made it obvious in a 15-minute Zoom call on Monday - this is still his offense. He’ll continue calling the plays.
He’s not bringing Bieniemy back to redesign the blueprint, but to reinforce the foundation. This is about refining, not reinventing.
“I’m fired up to get into this offseason and get going,” Reid said. “We didn’t do well this last year. I want to fix the problems that we had in all phases.”
The Chiefs finished 6-11 - a record that would prompt sweeping changes in most NFL cities. But Reid isn’t most coaches.
He sees a team that’s close, not broken. That’s why he’s sticking with what he knows, hiring from within his coaching tree rather than branching out to a new system or philosophy.
The message? The answers are already in the building.
They just need to be better executed.
And that’s where Bieniemy comes in.
Reid praised Bieniemy’s directness - with players, with coaches, with everyone. “There’s nobody like E.B. on the field that way,” he said.
That edge, that accountability, that attention to detail - it’s what helped make Reid’s offense hum during Bieniemy’s first stint. And it’s exactly what this group needs now.
Maybe that means a more committed run game. Maybe it means sharper execution in the passing game.
Maybe it means Patrick Mahomes doesn’t have to be the quarterback and the team’s emotional compass every week. Bieniemy brings a presence that demands focus, and that’s not just valuable - it’s necessary.
Because while the Chiefs’ system remains intact, the results haven’t.
The offense has sputtered in big moments. Fourth-quarter collapses became a theme.
And for all the talk about Mahomes being the best quarterback in football - which he still is - the Chiefs have scored 31 or more points in a game only twice over the last two seasons. Only the Raiders have done it fewer times.
That’s not a stat you want to share with a team picking at the top of the draft.
Yes, there were stretches of offensive brilliance. From Weeks 3 through 7, the Chiefs led the league in total yards.
They were among the best in yards per drive and scoring efficiency - until Mahomes got hurt. But the fade down the stretch was real.
And that trend didn’t start in 2025. It’s been creeping in over the past few seasons.
It’s not just about Tyreek Hill’s departure or Travis Kelce getting older. Those are factors, sure.
But when you have a quarterback like Mahomes, you shouldn’t be struggling to put up points. You shouldn’t be predictable in crunch time.
And yet, that’s where the Chiefs found themselves - too often, too late in games.
Reid insists his offense hasn’t grown stale. He called it “very seldom stagnant.”
But the tape tells a different story. Defenses have caught up.
The wrinkles that once gave Kansas City an edge have flattened out. The creativity that once defined this team has, at times, felt routine.
That’s why this offseason matters so much.
Bieniemy’s return can provide a spark - not because he’s bringing a new playbook, but because he’s bringing a renewed sense of urgency. He knows the system.
He understands the expectations. And after three years of seeing how other teams operate, he’s coming back with fresh perspective.
That’s a valuable combination.
Still, the biggest responsibility falls on Reid. He’s the architect, the play-caller, the decision-maker.
If the Chiefs are going to bounce back in 2026, it won’t be because of a new face in the offensive coordinator’s chair. It’ll be because Reid adapts.
Because he evolves. Because, as Mahomes once said, he brings new ideas into the building every single day.
That’s the real test. Not whether Bieniemy can reclaim his old rhythm, but whether Reid can push this offense forward without losing what made it great in the first place.
The Chiefs don’t need a new identity. They need sharper execution.
More adaptability. Better timing.
They need to stop fading late in games and start closing the door like they used to.
Bieniemy can help. But the fix has to go deeper than one hire.
This is still Andy Reid’s show. And now, more than ever, he’s got to make it sing again.