Why Washington OC Path Is Bad Example for Chiefs

Dan Quinn wasted no time in promoting from within Friday.

Aug 19, 2023; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback David Blough (17) throws a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half during a preseason game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic | Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – David Blough could do wonders to resurrect Jayden Daniels’ career in Washington.

But history isn’t on the side of the path Dan Quinn chose to replace his offensive coordinator. Quinn didn’t waste any time this week, promoting Blough from within just three days after moving on from Kliff Kingsbury.

Quinn reportedly interviewed only one other candidate before promoting Blough, his assistant quarterbacks coach the past two seasons. Drew Terrell, Arizona’s pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach, was reportedly the only other candidate to interview.

Oct 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks with Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn during warmups prior to the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Hiring from within: Bad choice

Hiring offensive coordinators from within – something Andy Reid said he’s considering should he need to replace Matt Nagy -- hasn’t produced encouraging results during recent NFL seasons.

“I probably wouldn't get into that right now,” Reid said Monday afternoon, addressing how he would handle Nagy’s departure. “But again, these are logical questions. I've got great guys on the staff here. Joe Bleymaier, I mean, you name some of the guys. I mean, you can go down the list, but we've got some qualified guys here.

“I know qualified guys out there, too, so I've got trust in both places. But I haven't got that far. Neither has Nags. So, we'll just see where all this goes. And we got a lot of time on that. They can't even interview them in person until the 19th. I'm not quite rushing here.”

Bleymaier is strong candidate but likely won't change Chiefs

Bleymaier, Reid’s pass game coordinator, is an outstanding candidate should Nagy join another team. Like Blough in Washington, Bleymaier would provide the head coach and quarterback some level of familiarity.

But that’s the problem when teams hire offensive coordinators from within. Opposing defenses are familiar with the same scheme and tendencies, too.

Sep 7, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard talks with wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

During last year’s hiring cycle before the 2025 season, 11 of 14 vacant offensive-coordinator roles were filled by external candidates, those who hadn’t served on the same staff in 2024.

Of the three who were promoted from within – Klay Kubiak in San Francisco, Tim Kelly with the New York Giants and Josh Grizzard in Tampa Bay – only one is in the playoffs this week. Kelly and Grizzard are unemployed after just one season in that role.

Nov 13, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; (Editors Notes: Caption Correction) New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels huddles up before the game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

And San Francisco’s offense under Kubiak didn’t improve. It dropped three spots in the NFL’s net-yards-per-game rankings.

Plus, of the 11 offensive coordinators hired from outside the building, nearly half are in the playoffs: Josh McDaniels in New England, Nick Caley in Houston, Grant Udinski in Jacksonville, Declan Doyle in Chicago and Klint Kubiak (Klay’s brother) in Seattle. McDaniels was obviously familiar with New England, but Drake Maye wasn't familiar with him.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski with quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

McDaniels improved New England by 28 spots in both points and yardage rankings. Udinski’s influence on play-calling head coach Liam Coen helped Jacksonville jump 20 spots in the points rankings and 14 in yardage. Both teams returned their starting quarterbacks in 2025, just as the Chiefs will do with Mahomes.

Offenses don’t tend to change when head coaches promote coordinators from within. That’s why hiring externally is clearly the best decision for Reid and the Chiefs.

May 11, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak looks on during the rookie minicamp at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

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