With Playoff Hopes Gone, Chiefs' Focus Turns to the Future - and Matt Nagy’s Name Keeps Coming Up
It’s not the kind of December the Kansas City Chiefs envisioned. What was once billed as a marquee Christmas Day matchup now feels more like a formality.
The Chiefs, sitting at 6-9 and out of the playoff picture, are preparing to host the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos in a game that’s lost much of its original luster. And with the postseason off the table, attention in Kansas City has shifted - not to what’s ahead on the schedule, but to what’s ahead in the offseason.
At the center of that conversation? Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.
On Tuesday, head coach Andy Reid and his coordinators met with the media as part of their weekly routine. But with the season winding down and change seemingly on the horizon, reporters weren’t just asking about game plans or matchups. They wanted to know: what’s next for Nagy?
The former Bears head coach has been linked to the Tennessee Titans' vacancy for months. Ever since Tennessee parted ways with Brian Callahan in October, Nagy’s name has consistently surfaced as a potential replacement. The dots are easy to connect - Nagy’s head coaching experience, his long-standing relationship with new Titans GM Mike Borgonzi (a longtime Chiefs executive), and his familiarity with modern offensive systems all make him a logical candidate.
Still, Nagy wasn’t biting.
“Out of respect, I know it’s a fair question,” he said, “but for me, I just honestly want to focus on right now. I know all that stuff will take care of itself down the road.”
It’s a measured response, and a familiar one for coaches in this position. But it also reflects the reality of where the Chiefs are - and where Nagy might be headed.
With no playoff football on the horizon, Kansas City’s staff is already under the microscope. And Nagy, who reportedly turned down a contract extension earlier this year and is currently set to hit the market, is drawing plenty of attention.
“I have so much respect for our organization here, from the top down,” Nagy added. “We’re at that point in time right now, especially not being in the playoffs, where that [speculation] starts to come out. I really am focused with these guys and want to help all these guys out, and all that stuff will take care of itself at the end here.”
Reid didn’t go deep on the subject, but he did offer a strong endorsement of his offensive coordinator’s credentials.
“I think he deserves to be a head football coach in this league,” Reid said.
That kind of backing from Reid isn’t nothing. The Chiefs’ longtime head coach has seen plenty of assistants go on to lead their own teams - some with more success than others - but his belief in Nagy has remained steady. After all, it was Reid who first elevated Nagy through the Chiefs’ coaching ranks before Nagy took the Bears job in 2018.
Now, with the Chiefs looking at an early offseason, and with their offense struggling to find its rhythm for much of the year, the question isn’t just whether Nagy will get another shot at a top job - it’s also whether Kansas City’s staff will look different in 2026.
For now, Nagy’s staying focused on the final two games. But the league is watching, and so is Tennessee. And if the whispers become something more, Kansas City might be searching for a new offensive architect sooner than expected.