The Kansas City Chiefs are officially out of the playoff picture - and for the first time since 2014, they’ll be watching the postseason from home. Their 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday sealed their fate, snapping a nearly decade-long run of playoff appearances and marking a new low in the Patrick Mahomes era. Yes, you read that right: for the first time in his NFL career, the three-time Super Bowl MVP won’t be suiting up in January.
It’s a stunning fall for a team that, just last season, was in the Super Bowl. And while there’s no single reason for the drop-off, one name keeps coming up in conversations around the league: Eric Bieniemy.
NFL analyst Bomani Jones weighed in on the Chiefs’ struggles during an episode of The Right Time with Bomani Jones, pointing to Bieniemy’s departure as a turning point. “It ain't really looked the same over there in Kansas City since he left,” Jones said. “Maybe he's not a head coach, but he was somebody over there.”
That “somebody” was more than just a title. Bieniemy was the offensive coordinator during one of the most explosive stretches in modern NFL history.
From 2018 to 2022, the Chiefs were an offensive juggernaut, leading the league in both points per game (30.1) and total yards per game (406.2). He was a commanding presence on the sideline, a vocal leader who helped guide Kansas City to three Super Bowl appearances and two championships during that span.
The team went 64-18 in the regular season with him at the helm of the offense.
After leaving Kansas City, Bieniemy took an assistant coaching role with the Washington Commanders. That stint was short-lived - the team struggled to a 4-13 record, and he wasn’t retained.
But his coaching journey didn’t stop there. In February 2024, he took on the associate head coach and offensive coordinator role at UCLA, and not long after, he joined the Chicago Bears as their running backs coach.
And here’s where it gets interesting: since Bieniemy’s arrival, the Bears’ ground game has taken off. Working alongside head coach Ben Johnson, Bieniemy has helped shape Chicago’s offense into one of the most physical and productive units in the NFC North.
The Bears currently rank second in the league in rushing yards per game (151.9), trailing only the Buffalo Bills (158.5). That kind of turnaround doesn’t happen by accident - it’s the mark of a coach who knows how to scheme, motivate, and get the most out of his players.
Now, no one is saying Bieniemy alone was the engine behind Kansas City’s dynasty - Mahomes is still Mahomes, and Andy Reid is still one of the most respected minds in the game. But it’s hard to ignore the timing.
Since Bieniemy’s exit, the Chiefs' offense has looked... off. The rhythm isn’t quite there.
The explosive plays that used to come in bunches now feel harder to come by. And with the team now missing the playoffs, the questions about what changed - and why - are only going to get louder.
For now, Kansas City faces a long offseason filled with tough questions. As for Bieniemy, he’s quietly building something in Chicago. And if the Bears’ run game is any indication, he might be far from done making noise in this league.