Was promoting Matt Nagy to OC truly the wisest decision by Chiefs?

Matt Nagy has been named the new offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. The reigning Super Bowl champion elevated him to that position from quarterback coach after Eric Bieniemy left for the Washington Commanders.

After a season in which they won the Super Bowl, such a change may prove counterproductive. Additionally, Matt Nagy's recent record as the head coach of the Chicago Bears was not a success.

They were regularly one of the worst offenses and fan discontent with him had reached a crescendo. Trying to retain Eric Bieniemy and bringing him back with the team might have been a better option.

Further, after Patrick Mahomes became the league MVP, Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP in the same season, moving his quarterbacks coach away might not be beneficial.

While it does not look like the right decision, there are certain factors that one can understand. This seems to be an enforced change. There was no indication that the Kansas City Chiefs were unhappy with Bieniemy.

However, as his contract expired, he chose to become the offensive coordinator in Washington. While he maintains the same position that he had in Kansas City, there are a couple of clear differences.

First, he is also the assistant head coach. This means that he has a level of seniority with the Commanders, which he did not have with the Chiefs. Second, he will get to call his own plays in Washington.

In Kansas City, Andy Reid called all the plays and the job of the offensive coordinator was to prepare the offense for those calls prior to the game. If Eric Bieniemy wants to become a head coach, he gathers more experience in this gig.

Looking at Matt Nagy's record with the Chicago Bears might not be the right idea for similar reasons. He was clearly out of his depth as the head coach because he was also the offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs prior to that and did not have extensive experience calling plays.

Also, having seen the Chicago Bears finish with the first overall draft pick this year, it shows that Matt Nagy might not have been the biggest problem in Chicago.

He will now revert to a position he held from 2016 to 2017, where he had risen from the quarterbacks' coach last time as well.

Is Matt Nagy a downgrade on Eric Bieniemy?

Matt Nagy was the quarterbacks' coach with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013 to 2015, before rising to become the offensive coordinator when Doug Pederson left to become the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Albert Breer

@AlbertBreer

Losing Eric Bieniemy is a blow for the Chiefs, but the plan all along in this case—as we've mentioned—has been for Matt Nagy to step back into the OC job he filled for KC in '16 and '17. Nagy's got a real shot, whenever the time comes, to be Andy Reid's successor with the Chiefs.

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Losing Eric Bieniemy is a blow for the Chiefs, but the plan all along in this case—as we've mentioned—has been for Matt Nagy to step back into the OC job he filled for KC in '16 and '17. Nagy's got a real shot, whenever the time comes, to be Andy Reid's successor with the Chiefs.

They had 5,488 yards in 2016 and 6,007 yards of total offense in 2017, with Alex Smith as the starting quarterback. Since then, Eric Bieniemy and Patrick Mahomes have gone on to breach the 6,000 yards mark regularly, crossing 7,000 yards of total offense this season. However, in 2019, with Patrick Mahomes, Eric Bieniemy had 6,067 yards of total offense, similar to what Matt Nagy had achieved with Alex Smith just two years prior.

Hence, in terms of honors, success, and statistics with the Kansas City Chiefs, Eric Bieniemy beats Matt Nagy hands down, having won two Super Bowls as their offensive coordinator. But he had the support of Patrick Mahomes, whereas Matt Nagy had to manage without him as the starting quarterback.

Jeff Kerr

@JeffKerrCBS

Matt Nagy's one season as the sole offensive coordinator with the #Chiefs (shared the job with Brad Childress in 2016).

Alex Smith led the #NFL in passer rating (104.7) and had the lowest INT rate (1.0). The 67.5% was highest of career in KC.

Now Nagy gets Patrick Mahomes.

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Matt Nagy's one season as the sole offensive coordinator with the #Chiefs (shared the job with Brad Childress in 2016).

Alex Smith led the #NFL in passer rating (104.7) and had the lowest INT rate (1.0). The 67.5% was highest of career in KC.

Now Nagy gets Patrick Mahomes. https://t.co/EgBpbqBTWg

Therefore, one cannot pass judgment either way. Given that they could not get Bieniemy back, given Nagy's familiarity with the system, it made him an obvious choice. The real wisdom of the lack thereof of this decision will become clear by the time the next season ends.

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