Back to Bieniemy: 1 Way Chiefs Can Return to Explosiveness

The differences are stark, and the Kansas City Chiefs know they can't afford to stay the same.

Dec 26, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) signals to a receiver as Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt (90) defends during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Whether Eric Bieniemy’s coaching style brought pure discipline and attention-to-detail accountability, or his brain brought creativity, adjustments and pure offensive production, one thing’s for sure.

The Chiefs were a much, much better offense the last time he was Kansas City’s offensive coordinator.

Oct 10, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) talks with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy before the game against the Buffalo Bills at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The raw data is night and day

During his previous five seasons in that role (2018-22), the Chiefs in yards per game ranked, respectively, first, fifth, sixth, fourth and first. In the three seasons without him (2023-25), they’ve ranked 15th, 15th and 20th.

Andy Reid was careful after the season to avoid any inkling of blame laid at the feet of Matt Nagy, who finished runner-up to Robert Saleh in the Titans’ head-coaching search and wound up with an attractive role as John Harbaugh’s autonomous offensive coordinator with the Giants. The Chiefs obviously played in two Super Bowls over Nagy’s initial two seasons as Chiefs offensive coordinator (2023-24).

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy looks on during the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Third down is true litmus test

But something clearly evaporated with the St. Joseph, Mo., humidity when Nagy replaced Bieniemy in the 2023 offseason. The most obvious area – aside from plummeting first to 15th in the yards-per-game rankings from 2022-23 – wasn’t lack of a running game. Isiah Pacheco actually had a decent season in 2023.

It was third downs.

Dec 18, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) runs with the ball as Houston Texans safety M.J. Stewart (29) attempts to make a tackle during the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

From 2018-22, the Chiefs ranked first in the NFL in third-down conversions, moving the chains on 49.0 percent of those snaps (468 of 955). But since 2023, they’ve dropped to sixth (43.3 percent).

The falloff was immediate in 2023 and hit rock bottom in 2025. The year Bieniemy departed to become an autonomous play-caller for Ron Rivera in Washington, the Chiefs fell from second in the league (48.7 percent in 2022) to sixth (43.6 percent in 2023). They jumped back into second during a 15-2 season in 2024 (48.5 percent) but slid all the way to 22nd in 2025 (37.4 percent).

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrate with the Vince Lombardi trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Walker isn't an RPO back

In his first availability since season-ending knee surgery, Patrick Mahomes said Jan. 15 he would do whatever necessary to win consistently. And while most of the quarterback’s career snaps have come from shotgun, now that they have Kenneth Walker, incorporating more under-center plays into their offense would behoove the Chiefs.

Because the key to improving third-down percentage is quality yards on first and second downs. From 2020-22 with Bieniemy at offensive coordinator, the Chiefs turned in three of the NFL’s highest single-season third-down percentages since 2013. That trifecta included the league’s best mark during Andy Reid’s Chiefs tenure, a 52.2-percent conversion rate in 2021.

Sep 26, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) goes under center Creed Humphrey (52) against the Los Angeles Chargers during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Those three years also represented the seasons in which Mahomes most frequently went under center and ran play-action. And the quarterback’s career completion percentage and passer ratings are resoundingly better in those situations than they are in RPO plays, where they primarily pass out of shotgun -- something they did more often than any NFL team in 2025.

Walker, meanwhile, thrived in Klint Kubiak’s offense last season when the Seahawks put Sam Darnold under center. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry in those situations (174 attempts, 875 yards) but only 4.3 per carry out of shotgun (47 attempts, 202 yards). Walker is elite at patiently sniffing out holes in the offensive line.

Dec 14, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes against the Indianapolis Colts during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven-Imagn Images

And if the Chiefs can give him added time by freezing linebackers out of play-action – putting Mahomes under center – he’s shown a penchant for breaking tackles on his hallmark, explosive bursts.

Reid said after the season he didn’t expect wholesale changes to the Chiefs’ offense, but Kansas City can’t afford to simply trot out the same playbook with the same tendencies. They need to incorporate more under-center runs with Walker, and more play-action on first and second downs.

Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes will try to win their fourth Super Bowl championship together on Sunday. | Corey Perrine / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images