The Kansas City Chiefs are making some notable changes to their coaching staff after a disappointing 6-11 season - and the shakeup goes deeper than initially reported.
It started with the dismissal of wide receivers coach Connor Embree, but that move was just the tip of the iceberg. Head coach Andy Reid also parted ways with running backs coach Todd Pinkston, signaling a broader reset on the offensive side of the ball.
Pinkston, a former NFL wideout himself, had been with the team since 2020, climbing the ranks from offensive assistant to position coach. His departure suggests the Chiefs are looking for a fresh voice in the running backs room as they try to retool an offense that struggled to find its rhythm this past season.
But it's not just firings - some assistants are heading elsewhere for new opportunities. Defensive assistant Louie Addazio has accepted a position as the offensive line coach at UNLV, a notable shift in both role and level.
Meanwhile, assistant defensive line coach Alex Whittingham is heading to the University of Michigan, where he'll join his father, Kyle Whittingham, who recently took a position with the Wolverines. These moves reflect the natural ebb and flow of coaching staffs in the NFL, especially after a season that fell short of expectations.
And then there’s Matt Nagy. The Chiefs’ offensive coordinator is currently in the mix for head coaching jobs, with the Tennessee Titans emerging as a serious possibility.
That connection makes sense - Titans General Manager Mike Borgonzi is a former Chiefs executive, and familiarity often plays a big role in these types of hires. Nagy, who previously served as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, could be looking at a second shot at the top job.
If a head coaching opportunity doesn’t materialize, he may still explore other offensive coordinator roles where he’d have full control of play-calling duties - something he hasn't had since returning to Kansas City.
For the Chiefs, this offseason is shaping up to be about more than just roster changes. After a rare losing season under Reid, the team is clearly taking a hard look at its coaching infrastructure. Whether that leads to a bounce-back year or a longer-term rebuild remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Kansas City isn’t standing pat.