“Hold People Accountable”: Patrick Mahomes Demands Accountability in Hunt for Chiefs’ Next OC

The Kansas City Chiefs were one of the most unstoppable teams in recent years, having played in all of the last three Super Bowls and winning two of them. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, they had a massive dominance in the NFL.

But this season, they were not as dominant, perhaps due to Mahomes’ season-ending ACL injury. With a disappointing 6-11 record, they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. This has led to some changes, with longtime offensive coordinator Matt Nagy rumored to leave for another franchise.

As the team looks for a replacement, Mahomes has revealed what qualities he requires from the next person to be hired in that role.

Patrick Mahomes wants next OC to have certain key qualities

After what was one of the worst seasons in Chiefs’ history, it looks like some big changes are on the way. Nagy is said to be almost certainly out of the franchise, as he is looking for a head coaching gig at another team with his current contract also expiring. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is also said to be doing the same.

Head coach Andy Reid will have to look for replacements for his two key staff members, who had a big role in his success with the team. Nagy was instrumental to Mahomes’ development as a quarterback, and helped him in his early years. Together, they won back to back Super Bowls from 2022-23. The star player had a pretty good 2025 season even though he suffered an ACL injury in Week 15 that ended his season early. He has 3,587 passing yards and 22 touchdowns in the 14 games he played.

Recently, Mahomes has said what he requires from his next OC. He wants some important traits that have to be present in whoever this next person will be, “I just want someone that loves football, that cares about football, that wants to do everything they can to win, to hold people accountable, and to bring new ideas every single day.”

Therefore, Mahomes has some pretty important requirements for whoever is going to replace his old mentor. Chiefs have already started looking at candidates who could replace the outgoing coordinator to ensure their continued success.

Chiefs prospective OC candidates

The Chiefs are considering several candidates to replace the outgoing Nagy. Some names familiar to head coach Reid have been suggested, such as Mike Kafka who previously served as the quarterbacks coach from 2018-21 and so will be familiar to Mahomes as well. He was recently the interim coach of the New York Giants.

Another option is Eric Bieniemy, who was the running backs coach from 2013-17, and later their offensive coordinator from 2018-22. He is currently the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears, but will also be a welcome sight for both Reid and Mahomes due to their previous associations.

Other options include Kliff Kingsbury, who was Mahomes’ coach during his time at Texas Tech and recently fired by the Washington Commanders, ex-Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, ex-Giants head coach Brian Daboll, and Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.

While these are all great candidates, they are only mere speculation and rumors with nothing advanced as of yet. With Chiefs out of the playoffs, they will have to focus on who and how to bolster their squad ahead of the 2026 NFL season.