Chiefs Request Interview With Eric Bieniemy For OC Return

Eric Bieniemy is once again at the center of NFL coaching carousel discussions as the Kansas City Chiefs have formally requested to interview him for their offensive coordinator position, according to multiple reports on January 19, 2026. The move signals a possible reunion between Bieniemy and the Chiefs, a franchise with which he enjoyed remarkable success for nearly a decade. For Chiefs fans, the prospect of Bieniemy’s return is stirring up both nostalgia and hope for a bounce-back season after Kansas City’s first losing campaign in the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes era.

Bieniemy, 56, spent the 2025 season as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears—a role in which he thrived, helping guide a top-tier rushing attack. Under his direction, the Bears finished third in the NFL in both total rushing yards and average yards per carry. Running backs D’Andre Swift and rookie Kyle Monangai combined for a whopping 1,870 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, with Swift eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark (1,087 yards in 16 games) and Monangai adding 783 yards in 17 games. The Bears averaged either 142.3 or 126.5 rushing yards per game, depending on the source, but both figures rank them among the NFL’s elite ground games in 2025.

Bieniemy’s impact was immediate and unmistakable. Hired by first-year Bears head coach Ben Johnson, he was widely seen as one of the best additions to the staff. The Bears’ potent rushing attack was a key factor in their surprising playoff run, which ultimately ended in heartbreak—a 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round. As the Bears enter the offseason, the likelihood of losing several assistants, including Bieniemy, looms large.

For Bieniemy, the Chiefs’ interest represents a potential homecoming. He first joined Kansas City in 2013 as Andy Reid’s running backs coach, a position he held for five seasons. In 2018, he was promoted to offensive coordinator, a role he occupied through 2022. During that span, the Chiefs became one of the NFL’s most dynamic and feared offenses. With Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and Travis Kelce at tight end, Kansas City led the league in scoring multiple times and captured two Super Bowl titles. Even after the departure of All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill following the 2021 season, Bieniemy’s offense continued to thrive.

In his final season as Chiefs offensive coordinator, Bieniemy’s offense topped the NFL with 29.2 points per game, while Mahomes threw a league-high 50 touchdowns in his first year as a starter. That offensive firepower propelled Kansas City to its first of three Super Bowl appearances in five years. Despite these achievements, Bieniemy was repeatedly passed over for head coaching opportunities. According to reports, he interviewed for several head coaching jobs but never landed one. Instead, he made a lateral move to the Washington Commanders in 2023, hoping to showcase his play-calling abilities.

Unfortunately, Bieniemy’s stint in Washington was short-lived. The Commanders finished 4-13, and both he and head coach Ron Rivera were dismissed at the end of the season. Not one to stay idle, Bieniemy spent 2024 as associate head coach and offensive coordinator at UCLA before returning to the NFL with the Bears in 2025. His journey underscores the volatility and unpredictability of NFL coaching careers—even for those with impressive resumes.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ current offensive coordinator, Matt Nagy, is expected to depart. Nagy, who succeeded Bieniemy in 2023, has an expiring contract and is a finalist for the Tennessee Titans’ head coaching vacancy. The Chiefs have been preparing for this transition, with sources indicating they have been doing their homework on Bieniemy for several weeks. The request to interview him, confirmed by both NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, is seen as the first formal step toward bringing him back into the fold.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid has long been an advocate for Bieniemy. When Bieniemy left Kansas City, Reid said in 2023, “Eric Bieniemy has been tremendous for us and, I think he’s tremendous for the National Football League. I hope he gets the chance to run the show and be Eric Bieniemy.” That endorsement still resonates, especially as the Chiefs look to restore their offensive identity after a disappointing season.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the face of the franchise, also weighed in on the qualities he wants in a new offensive coordinator. “I just want someone that loves football, that cares about football, wants to give everything they can to win,” Mahomes told reporters last week. “To hold people accountable and then to bring new ideas every single day. That’s something that we have to continue to do if you want to continue to be great in this league. ... You have to continue to evolve and get better and better.” Mahomes’ comments reflect the team’s desire for both continuity and innovation—qualities Bieniemy has demonstrated throughout his coaching career.

Should Bieniemy return, he would inherit an offense in transition but with elite talent. The Chiefs’ offensive struggles in 2025 were well-documented, but the foundation remains strong with Mahomes and Kelce still at the core. Bieniemy’s familiarity with the system, his proven ability to adapt, and his history of maximizing player talent make him a logical candidate to help the Chiefs rebound in 2026.

The process, however, is not yet complete. The Chiefs must finalize the interview process with the Bears before any official announcement can be made. Still, the momentum is building, and fans are already speculating about how Bieniemy’s return could reignite the Chiefs’ high-octane attack.

For the Bears, Bieniemy’s potential departure is bittersweet. His work with Swift and Monangai helped transform Chicago’s running game into one of the league’s best. As the Bears regroup after their playoff exit, they’ll be tasked with finding a replacement capable of sustaining that success.

As the situation develops, all eyes are on Kansas City and Chicago. Will Bieniemy’s second act with the Chiefs recapture the magic of his previous tenure? For now, the NFL world waits for the next move in what’s shaping up to be one of the offseason’s most intriguing coaching storylines.