Former Chiefs OC Nagy Now Centerpiece of Stellar Coaching Staff

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Andy Reid takes every opportunity after big wins to spotlight individual coaches on his staff.

Reid’s former assistant John Harbaugh could be doing that a lot this year with the Giants. Including Matt Nagy, Harbaugh has assembled what figures to be the league’s most impressive coaching staff in New York.

Barometer on Chiefs' decisions

“This is really interesting staff to me for a lot of reasons,” said beat writer Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest, on this week’s edition of the 41 is the Mic podcast. “I'm going to be intrigued to see what Matt Nagy does, because I think it's going to be a little bit of a barometer on maybe what the Chiefs have been doing, or should have been doing, with their coaching staff in recent years.”

With Nagy calling his own plays for the first time since his days as Bears head coach, the former Chiefs OC will be surrounded by former Titans head coach Brian Callahan (passing game coordinator/quarterbacks), former Texans OC Tim Kelly (tight ends), former Chargers OC Greg Roman (senior offensive assistant), two former college head coaches in Willie Taggart (running backs) and Mike Bloomgren (offensive line), and former Chiefs wide receiver Chad Hall (wide receivers).

callaha — Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan takes questions after their 41-20 loss against the Indianapolis Colts at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“It’s going to be an indication,” Derrick continued, “of what it says about coordinators for Andy Reid going other places, and if they can have success.”

Of course, an all-star staff doesn’t mean guaranteed wins. In 2023, new Panthers coach Frank Reich assembled a staff that included former head coaches and an impressive amount of Super Bowl experience. But Reich didn’t last the full season and Carolina finished 2-15.

chad hal — Oct 27, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Chad Hall (14) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 23-17. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

One meal, lots of recipes

One of the questions facing the Giants is whether Nagy can command the offense with so many world-class chefs in his kitchen.

“Being able to manage all that should be one of the advantages Harbaugh brings to the Giants,” wrote SI insider Albert Breer on Monday. “When I think of Nagy with Jaxson Dart, I think of the spectacular season the new OC helped Alex Smith put together in 2017, with so many spread-offense elements baked in not just to maximize Smith but to develop Patrick Mahomes.

“All the movement stuff the Chiefs were doing that year, in theory, should apply organically to Dart’s physical skill.”

alex smit — Dec 24, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) runs against the Miami Dolphins in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Nagy interviewed with four teams for head-coaching roles this past cycle and finished as runner-up to Robert Saleh in Tennessee. What’s interesting is whether Nagy can parlay this Giants opportunity, an autonomous OC role, into another head-coaching job after the 2026 season.

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