KCSN Weekly: Bieniemy's ready to get back in the saddle, rivalry week fallout and more
A weekly look at everything happening across Kansas City sports.
Welcome to the very first KCSN Weekly.
At KCSN, we’re known for covering the Chiefs, but our network reaches far beyond Arrowhead. The goal of this weekly notebook is simple: give you an easy-to-read rundown of everything happening around Kansas City. Currently, that’s college hoops, the end of the Royals’ offseason, high school sports, and yes, the Chiefs too — all in one place.
Some weeks, we’ll cover more of one thing than another. That’s the point. If it matters in Kansas City sports, we want it on your radar. Thanks for reading, thanks for supporting what we’re building, and welcome to the start of something new.
Bieniemy speaks
The Kansas City Chiefs officially turned the page on the offseason this week, introducing Eric Bieniemy as the team’s offensive coordinator once again. Bieniemy is returning after a successful run in the same position from 2018 to 2022.
News began to trickle in shortly after the Chicago Bears lost in the Divisional round of the playoffs. This week, the Chiefs said goodbye to Matt Nagy and made the Bieiemy signing official after serving one season as the Bears’ running backs coach.
“If Big Red (head coach Andy Reid ever picks up the phone, that’s the only person you’ll say, ‘Hey, you know what? It may be time to return home because he’s giving me this opportunity,’” Bieniemy said Wednesday during a Zoom teleconference. “But more than anything, it was very, very tough after exactly what we just went through. But more than anything, I’m fired up about this opportunity.
“I’m looking forward to it, and it’s time to get back in the saddle.”
Bienemy’s return comes after two seasons as the Washington Commanders’ and UCLA’s OC, and one with the Bears leading the tailbacks. The Bears posted one of the league’s most vaunted rushing attacks in 2025, while the Chiefs ranked near the bottom of the league in that category.
Sunflower Showdown fallout
The latest Sunflower Showdown belonged to Kansas, who continue to look more comfortable and confident as the season moves along. Kansas is heating up and is now 5-2 in the Big 12 after a 1-2 start. The 86-62 blowout of Kansas State marked the Jayhawks fourth win in a row.
Watch our live postgame show here if you are into that sort of thing. Our guys at the Pay Heed podcast do a tremendous job breaking it down.
For Kansas State, the rivalry loss was another tough moment in a frustrating season. That struggle continued against West Virginia, with the Mountaineers beating the Wildcats 59-54. With those two losses, K-State finds itself at 10-11 overall and 1-7 in conference play.
Missouri’s rollercoaster week
Missouri gave fans a little bit of everything.
A gritty overtime win over the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday started the week off with a bang. Then came a harsh reminder of the gap against elite teams, as Mizzou was blown out by No. 23 Alabama 90-64. It’s been that kind of year for the Tigers, who are now 4-4 in the SEC after getting off to a 3-1 start.
Royals rundown
It is quiet around the Royals this time of year, but a couple of their players grabbed headlines this week for very different reasons.
Carter Jensen continues to gain serious national traction, earning recognition on multiple Top 100 prospect lists. MLB Pipeline even rated him as high as 18th across the entire league. The buzz is real, and the expectations are rising for the former Park Hill prospect.
He played his way onto the big league club at the end of last year, clubbing three homers, 13 RBIs, and batting .300 in 60 at-bats. He is expected to start the year with the Royals.
As for the other bit of news, All-Star third baseman Maikel Garcia was named to the Venezuela National Baseball Team for the World Baseball Classic. He will join teammate Salvador Perez, Ronald Acuna Jr., Jackson Chourio, and Wilyer Abreu, it was announced Thursday.
As a reminder, Garcia broke out to the tune of 16 home runs and 23 steals, with an .800 OPS last season. He was not too bad at the hot corner either, earning his first Gold Glove in 2025. The World Baseball Classic takes place March 5th through the 17th this spring.
What to Watch This Week
College Basketball
Kansas looks to keep momentum rolling with a couple of tough matchups at home against No. 13 BYU and on the road at No. 11 Texas Tech.
Can Kansas State stabilize and string together a response week at home against No. 8 Iowa State or on the road at TCU?
Missouri faces another measuring-stick stretch. Can they prove they can take care of unranked opponents at home against Mississippi State and on the road at South Carolina?
That’s where things stand heading into the week ahead. We’ll keep tracking it all, from the headlines to the under-the-radar stories. Be sure to check back in next week because big things are coming from Kansas City Sports Network.