Why Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes is Next Pillar Point for Jaxson Dart

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A lot of non-quarterbacks are anti-Matt Nagy.

But among quarterbacks, John Harbaugh’s decision to hire the former Chiefs offensive coordinator is drawing rave reviews.

“I'm good with it. I'm surprised at the backlash, to be honest,” said former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck on the Wednesday morning edition of Get Up. “Look, Matt Nagy when he was in Chicago, Mitchell Trubisky was 25-13. Think about that. Mitchell Trubisky was 25-13 with the Chicago Bears as a starter.”

nagy trubisk — Nov 11, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (10) talks with head coach Matt Nagy during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-Imagn Images | Mike DiNovo-Imagn Images

With and without Nagy

Without Nagy calling plays, Trubisky is 6-13 (.316) in his NFL career. He's now a Josh Allen backup in Buffalo.

Plus, that 25-13 record from 2018-20 included Nagy’s Coach of the Year season in 2018. Trubisky’s .658 winning percentage in that period is comparable to Patrick Mahomes’ .674 mark (31-15) over the last three years with Nagy as Chiefs offensive coordinator.

reid, mahomes, nag — Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during a time out during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Another important factor

Hasselbeck added another reason Nagy should succeed in developing Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, who like Trubisky in 2018 is entering his second NFL season.

“The best quarterback coach in the game over the last 20 years has been Andy Reid, and it's not close,” said Hasselbeck, who played for Reid in 2002 with the Eagles. “To me, it makes a lot of sense. I think that Harbaugh is building a good staff in New York, and I think that Nagy is a good fit there, as long as he sticks to the process of the things he's learned around Andy Reid.”

Reid worked with Brett Favre in Green Bay, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick in Philadelphia and Alex Smith before Mahomes in Kansas City. And since 2013, Nagy has been next to Reid during most of those years.

Nagy worked his way up the lower levels of the Eagles offensive staff from 2008-12, then followed Reid to Kansas City as Chiefs quarterbacks coach from 2013-15. He was Kansas City’s offensive coordinator from 2016-17 and again from 2023-25 around his head-coach stint with the Bears. He had an additional year coaching quarterbacks in 2022.

nagy, alex smith, rei — May 14, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks coach Matt Nagy (right) runs on the field with quarterbacks Alex Smith (11) and head coach Andy Reid during organized team activities at the University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

And speaking of quarterbacks, the Chiefs’ starter gave Nagy a pretty good recommendation while the coach was searching for his next role.

“I love Coach Nagy,” Mahomes said on Jan. 15, “and he's done a lot of great things in my career to help me become the quarterback that I am. And I know that he's looking to take that step and get back to the head-coaching spot, and I hope he gets another opportunity to do that.

“But he's a great man, a great person. It's been cool to see the changes to him as a coach, him going to be a head coach and coming back. But he gave me a lot of ideas to be better as a person, as a quarterback. And so, hoping the best for him.”

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