The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing an old friend back to their coaching staff.
The Chiefs are hiring Eric Bieniemy as their offensive coordinator, USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon has confirmed, returning the NFL coach to the same position he held from 2018 to 2022 – quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ first five years as a starter.
Bieniemy, 56, has spent the last three seasons with other teams during his time away from the Chiefs. In 2023, he was the Washington Commanders’ assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. In 2024, Bieniemy was the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins. Most recently, Bieniemy was the Chicago Bears’ running backs coach in 2025.
In the three years since Bieniemy left Kansas City, the Chiefs’ offensive production has declined steadily. In 2022, Bieniemy’s last year as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, they led the NFL in average yards (413.6 per game) and points (29.2 per game). In 2025, Kansas City ranked 20th in average yards (320.6) and 21st in points scored (21.3).
During Bieniemy’s one-year tenure as the Bears’ running backs coach, Chicago saw veteran RB D’Andre Swift set new career highs in yards (1,087) and touchdowns (9). Seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai also played a significant role in the Bears’ offense as he broke out in his rookie season.
The Bears finished the regular season averaging 144.5 rushing yards per game, which ranked third in the NFL. Their 46.2% rushing success rate also ranked third.
Bieniemy will replace former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, whose contract expired after the 2025 season and is among several head coaching candidates in this year’s hiring cycle.
The Chiefs won two Super Bowls during Bieniemy’s last stint as offensive coordinator and will be seeking a return to playoff contention after missing the postseason in 2025.