A familiar face is coming back to Kansas City.
The Chiefs are set to hire Eric Bieniemy as their next offensive coordinator, marking a reunion with a man who has already won two Super Bowls with the franchise.
Bieniemy spent 10 seasons working with head coach Andy Reid at Arrowhead, and first served as KC’s running backs coach from 2013 to 2017, before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2018.
He held that role through the 2022 season, before departing for the Washington Commanders, where he was OC and assistant head coach for a year.
Bieniemy then dropped down to college football, where he served in those same roles at UCLA.
In 2025, the 56-year-old returned to the NFL and was hired by Ben Johnson as the Chicago Bears running backs coach.
After one season in the NFC North, Bieniemy has sealed a comeback to Kansas City, and will need to help pick up the pieces after a poor campaign.
The Chiefs went 6-11 in 2025, their first losing year since 2012, and failed to make the NFL Playoffs.
Despite those struggles, OC Matt Nagy has been a popular candidate during this month’s head coaching cycle, an is not expected to return to Arrowhead.
That means Coach Reid has been forced to shake up his staff, and he will be looking to a familiar face to bring back some former glory.
Bieniemy should be a good fit thanks to his decade of experience in Missouri, and he also has the strong backing of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
Top Chiefs stars have made feeling clear on Eric Bieniemy
Bieniemy first took on the OC role in Kansas City back in 2018 — which happened to be Mahomes’ first season as starter.
The quarterback quickly established himself as the franchise guy, and was named MVP that year after he racked up an incredible 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns en-route to the AFC Championship.
Mahomes and Bieniemy took the offense from strength to strength in the years that followed.
When the latter left for Washington in 2023, he took criticism from former Chiefs running back LeSean McCoy, who predicted he would fail.
Bieniemy noted at the time that the ‘future Hall of Famer’ was entitled to his opinion, but that it didn’t impact him.
That sparked Mahomes to launch an impassioned defense of his former OC on social media.
“There should be no questions on how great of a man/coach Coach Bienemy is,” he wrote on X back in February 2023.
“His leadership has a direct impact on the player/person i am today! 10+ years learning under one of the greatest coaches of all time… and I cannot wait for him to continue to prove doubters wrong!”
Three years on, Mahomes and Bieniemy are set for a reunion.
The franchise QB, who is recovering from a torn ACL and LCL suffered last month, also recently outlined what he is hoping to see in a new OC.
“I just want someone that loves football, that cares about football, wants to give everything they can to win, to hold people accountable, and then to bring new ideas every single day,” he told reporters last Thursday.
Bieniemy no doubt fits the bill, and that will delight Mahomes.
Kelce, who is yet to confirm his long-awaited retirement decision, has also championed Bieniemy in the past.
Speaking in 2022, when it was unclear if the Chiefs OC would return for another season, the legendary tight end credited Bieniemy for his work.
“He has our team prepared and ready to go,” Kelce said ahead of Super Bowl LVI that year.
“Everyone says it’s an Andy Reid offense. He has 51%, I’m not going to say it’s not, but it’s a collective group putting this offense together.
“And I ask everybody, come on in, see who’s standing up in front of our offense, getting us ready for situational football.
“Who’s in front of us week in, week out at halftime, trying to make adjustments? Who’s the guy that’s rallying this group, and has the emotion as a player and as a coach to keep us firing as an offensive unit?
“That’s Eric Bieniemy. And I’ve been a big fan of him my entire career. He’s done unbelievable things for my skill set, personally, and my mentality in terms of helping me grow as a player.”
With both Mahomes and Kelce behind him, the returning coach could be set for big things in 2026.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Bieniemy won’t be the only new arrival.
Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver coach Chad O’Shea is set to take that role in Kansas City for 2026.
How did Eric Bieniemy do in his first stint with KC?
The Chiefs saw tremendous success with Bieniemy in his first spell as OC.
KC finished no lower than sixth in the NFL in scoring during his five seasons in the role.
That stint included two Super Bowl titles and a run to a third, while Mahomes won regular-season MVP honors on two occasions.
Bieniemy left the Chiefs after lifting the Lombardi Trophy in 2023, as he wanted the opportunity to call plays full-time.
It’s unclear what the play-calling situation will be alongside Coach Reid, but his return will no doubt be a major boost for a franchise in desperate need of good news.
