Chiefs head coach Andy Reid is moving fast in rebuilding his offense after witnessing one of the most disappointing campaigns in the team’s history. The Kansas City Chiefs couldn’t make the postseason for the first time since 2014. While Patrick Mahomes’ injury was a major blow to the offense, the problems ran deeper. And now, Reid is trying to correct course by sacking two people from his offensive staff. 

“They have fired RBs coach Todd Pinkston and WRs coach Connor Embree,” The Kansas City Star‘s columnist Sam McDowell reported. “Louie Addazio chose to move on for the OL job at UNLV. Alex Whittingham has joined the Michigan staff. Could be more after the carousel settles, but there’s where it stands for now.”

The two offensive firings were not out of the blue. After all, the Chiefs closed the regular season with a brutal 6-11 record. They lost their last six games and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. The offense fell short on multiple occasions this year and ranked 20th in the league, scoring 320.6 total yards. While quarterback Patrick Mahomes powered the team’s seventh ranking in EPA per rush, the overall ground game failed to deliver.

The Chiefs ranked 25th in total rushing yards (1,812) and tied for 18th in rushing touchdowns (15). Running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt also ranked 46th and 47th, respectively, in explosive rush rate among 100 qualified backs. Still, Pinkston’s departure weighs heavily when considering his recent success. He arrived in Kansas in 2023 and was part of the team’s successful run that ended in a Super Bowl win.

Long before transitioning to coaching in 2016, he served as a wide receiver in the NFL. In his seven-year NFL career, which concluded in 2007, Pinkston played for the Eagles, Vikings, and Commanders. With no significant improvement in the rushing attack from the previous year, he had to go. Meanwhile, Connor Embree’s exit followed similar frustrations. 

After dedicating seven years to the organization in multiple roles, his position as a wide receiver coach didn’t pay off. The team led the NFL in drops in 2023 and improved its ranking last season by moving two places down. However, the issue persisted this year as players struggled with drops during clutch moments. 

Now, the Chiefs begin their search for new coaches for the running back and wide receiver roles. As the team awaits some other developments on offense, Mahomes has weighed in on what he wants.

Andy Reid’s QB shares his thoughts on the potential OC hiring

With offensive coordinator Matt Nagy’s contract approaching its end and his name circulating in head coaching interviews, the Chiefs must find someone who can take over. While Nagy has been a “tremendous” coach, Reid needs someone to match his energy. As the team continues to revamp the offensive group, Mahomes has shared his own checklist while speaking to reporters for the first time since sustaining a torn ACL. 

“For me, I just want someone that loves football, that cares about football and wants to give everything that they can to win to hold people accountable and bring new ideas every single day,” he said on Thursday. “I think that’s what we have to continue to do if you want to continue to be great in this league.”

Furthermore, the 30-year-old acknowledged that the coaching market is crowded with several head coach vacancies. So, he wants things to flow naturally while putting his faith in Reid. 

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“I know Coach (Andy) Reid, if Coach Nags is able to get another job — a head coaching job — he’ll have a good plan of who he wants to bring in,” he added. 

Currently, there are eight NFL franchises hiring for a head coach position. And Nagy has interviewed with four of them. Meanwhile, Mahomes’ college head coach, Kliff Kingsbury, recently parted ways with the Washington Commanders as their offensive coordinator. So, he could emerge as a potential candidate to replace Nagy.

Now, Andy Reid’s team enters a crucial offseason. Their next offensive hire could determine how quickly the Chiefs bounce back to contender status.