Five offensive coordinator candidates who could find their way to the Chiefs sidelines in 2026
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy's contract is reportedly up, and it is far from a sure thing that he returns. Here are a few candidates with a variety of backgrounds that could fill his shoes.
The Kansas City Chiefs are embarking on a rather unfamiliar offseason. One in which they are not only done playing football in early January but also one in which there is significant uncertainty over their coaching staff. There have been some smaller questions about Offensive Coordinators being hired away to Head Coaching positions, but the Chiefs have generally had ready-made answers for that. That’s not the case this season. Whether Matt Nagy is hired as a Head Coach or not elsewhere in the NFL, it appears the Chiefs will be looking for a new Offensive Coordinator, not on the current staff.
Not since the end of the 2018 season has there been a known hole in the Chiefs’ coordinators that will have to be patched up before the following season. The Chiefs nailed that selection with the hiring of Steve Spagnuolo after Bob Sutton’s departure, but can they do it again, this time on the offensive side of the ball?
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We do have to establish why this is a bit of a tricky job to fill. The last offensive coach that Andy Reid hired to his staff that didn’t have significant ties to him was Eric Bieniemy, and Andy hired him back in 2013 when putting together a staff for the Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, he has typically promoted from within or brought on people he was familiar with. While the latter is still very possible this season, there have been enough rumors to at least believe it’s not a guarantee.
Secondly, the Offensive Coordinator for the Chiefs is not going to get autonomy over the offense or even get to call their own plays. It’s going to be Andy Reid’s offense at the end of the day, but the hope is they can add new ideas and influence the overall philosophy. It’s just not as easy a sell as “Getting to run the show” as some other teams may be able to offer. That being said, let’s dive into some OC candidates!
Five Offensive Coordinator Candidates
The Wonderkin
Who: Nate Scheelhasse
Background: Current Los Angeles Rams’ Pass game coordinator. Was Iowa State’s quarterback coach and offensive coordinator prior to his time with the Rams. He spent time working with the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers at different points at Iowa State. Scheelhasse also played quarterback at Illinois prior to starting his coaching career there.
Why him: Scheelhasse has a stable background of experience working with all skill players on the offensive side of the ball, as well as a stint with Sean McVay and the Rams’ passing attack. He has been a run game coordinator, a pass game coordinator, and has directly coached those position rooms. He would not only bring a fresh set of ideas but also has experience designing a run game, a pass game, and calling plays.
The fit: Scheelhasse is one of the younger coaches receiving interest this cycle, which could fit in well with a Chiefs’ staff that has more experienced coaches at the top. His time designing an offense for a “developmental” program like Iowa State shed light on the fact that he is a good teacher, not just a teller. Finally, his varied work with the run and pass game, as well as various positions, would allow him to fill in gaps that Andy Reid saw fit.
Connections: Scheelhasse was a standout college player at Rockhurst High School wining the 2009 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year. He also participated in a Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Chiefs in 2021, specifically working with the quarterbacks during that time.