Tyrann Mathieu’s next stop should be obvious by now: back with the Chiefs, only this time on the sideline.
He’s already been around the building in St. Joseph for a couple of days, watching practice and talking with his old coaches. He’s still a familiar voice in NFL circles too, thanks in part to his podcast with co-host Tyrell McCall, In The Bayou, where he often talks shop with former teammates and other players he’s crossed paths with over the years.
That kind of presence fits Mathieu. It always has.
When he arrived in Kansas City in 2019, he brought exactly what the Chiefs wanted in the back end of the defense: a cornerstone player who could also function like an on-field coach. He helped turn Bob Sutton’s bend-but-don’t-break unit into something tougher and more dangerous, and the Chiefs made the move in free agency with that leadership role in mind.
Mathieu more than answered the call. In three seasons with Kansas City, he became a two-time All-Pro and played a major part in the stretch that launched the Chiefs’ dynastic run, one that has produced five Super Bowl appearances and three titles in six years. Even after he moved on, his influence lingered through the younger players he helped along, including L’Jarius Sneed and Juan Thornhill.
That’s why making his coaching transition official feels less like a bold idea and more like the natural next step. Andy Reid has already said as much. After Mathieu’s retirement announcement a year ago, Reid said, "Hopefully, he gets into coaching, because he'd be a heck of a coach if he decides to go that way."
There is, though, a wrinkle in the picture. Dave Merritt remains a respected defensive backs coach who has drawn interest for bigger jobs - the 49ers even interviewed him in 2024 - but he has also made clear he’s stayed in Kansas City for family reasons. "One of the things my wife Yolanda and I discussed years ago was that I was not going to pursue any type of coordinating job while my kids were young," he said in 2024.
With Merritt potentially nearing a promotion someday, the Chiefs would be smart to have someone younger ready to learn alongside him. Mathieu would fit that role cleanly. Kansas City already added veteran Andre Curtis this season to help coach the secondary, but that doesn’t change the bigger point: bringing Mathieu into the staff would only strengthen what the Chiefs are trying to build.
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Chiefs Final Roster Direction Is Getting Clearer After Surprising Cuts
The Chiefs kept churning through the bottom of the roster, and Wednesdays moves added a little more shape to how the team wants to manage its depth heading into the next phase. Tight end Thomas Odukoya joined the practice squad through the NFLs International Player Pathway program, giving Kansas City another developmental piece to stash while the team continues sorting out the back end of the roster.
Kansas City also waived guard C.J. Hanson, quarterback Chris Oladokun and running back EJ Smith with injury settlements, a reminder of how much roster construction at this stage is about availability as much as talent. Defensive tackle Cole Brevard was released as well, with Marcus Harris brought in to take his practice squad spot, leaving the Chiefs with a clearer picture of which fringe players are still in the mix and which ones have already been moved along. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelce Already Feels Eric Bieniemy Changing Chiefs Offense
Eric Bieniemy is back in Kansas City, and Travis Kelce did not need long to notice the difference. After the Chiefs brought Bieniemy in as offensive coordinator again following Matt Nagys departure, the veteran tight end said the energy around the offense already feels familiar in a good way, with an emphasis on culture and accountability that he believes can sharpen the group.
Bieniemys second run with the Chiefs comes after stops with Washington, UCLA and Chicago, but his first stay in Kansas City is still the standard everyone remembers. From 2018 to 2022, he helped shape an offense that set the tone for the franchise, so his return naturally carries weight. The bigger question now is how quickly that old chemistry turns into something new, and Kelce already sounds convinced the answer may come fast. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Just Bought Themselves Breathing Room On A Bigger O-Line Concern
The Chiefs created some immediate financial breathing room by restructuring Trey Smiths contract, converting $18.54 million of his 2026 base salary into a signing bonus and cutting his cap hit for this season by $12.54 million. The move gives Kansas City $13.85 million in cap space as Week 1 approaches, a useful cushion for a team still sorting through broader questions up front.
Smiths situation remains part of a larger offensive line picture that is far from settled, especially with injury concerns continuing around the guard. His cap charge will climb over the next two years, and the Chiefs may not be done with his deal yet, but for now the restructuring buys them time while they try to stabilize the line around him. [Read more 🡒]