The Kansas City Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014, stumbled to a 6-11 record, and dropped six straight to close the season. And once the dust settled, everyone had a name to put on it: Andy Reid. The critics called his offense stale, predictable, and rigid. They argued that Reid does not change his offence and it’s something defensive coordinators around the league had long figured out. But just as the noise was reaching its peak, former Chiefs offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz had heard enough.

“Also…I’m getting really tired of the ‘Andy Reid never changes his offense’ thing,” wrote Mitchell Schwartz on X. “Go every two years from when he got to KC. 2013 to 15 to 17 to 19 to 21 to 23 to 25. Everyone one of those from 13 to 21 was VERY different offense with varying leans on what the team did best. 21 to 23 was still an adjustment, but a similar offense and not as different. 23 to 25 is where the stagnation set in, to me… Watch the evolution of the offenses Pat’s played in until now. Stop it with this “he never adapts” BS.”

Mitchell Schwartz has perfectly summed up Reid’s offense tactics. Although drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2012, he joined the Chiefs in 2016. He played five seasons under Reid, watching all the transitions closely. The head coach joined the franchise in 2013. For three seasons, Reid heavily relied on a run-heavy offense. He applied the West Coast system, emphasizing short, high-percentage passes as a tactical extension of the running game. Quarterback Alex Smith and running back Jamaal Charles proved to be the anchors of this system. It brought stability and consistency to the franchise, which helped in laying the foundation for the dynasty.

From 2017 onwards, the system changed. With the franchise drafting Patrick Mahomes, Smith was traded to the Washington Redskins. Mahomes and explosive wide receiver Tyreek Hill incorporated more vertical elements, from overloading deep zones and creating explosive plays to opening seams for receivers.

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A couple of seasons later, Reid’s offensive tactics changed once again. At that point, many NFL franchises shifted to using two safeties in the defense. It is a “bend-don’t-break” approach, focused on preventing the long touchdown passes. To counter this play, the Chiefs’ HC utilized short-to-intermediate passing with tight end Travis Kelce at the center. These small plays helped them in covering yards, with a lower risk of getting intercepted by the safeties. Potentially, it was the start of the dynasty. The Chiefs won their first Super Bowl in fifty years during the 2019 season.

Reid has also opted for the Y-ISO method, which isolates the tight end from the rest of the receivers. The TE (Kelce) stands on one side of the formation, and on the other, there are three to four receivers. It creates a “pick-your-poison” scenario for the opponent. If they decide to double-mark Kelce, there is more free room for the receivers on the other side. While Mitchell Schwartz has taken his former head coach’s side, he did not shy away from criticizing Reid’s recent ventures.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ offense has become stagnant in recent years

Former offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz has fully explained how the Chiefs have transitioned under Andy Reid. He highlighted and broke down all the transitional periods. From the time of RB Jamaal Charles to QB Patrick Mahomes, he left nothing on the table. However, his statement wasn’t entirely about glorifying the Super Bowl-winning coach. During his long statement on X (formerly Twitter), he also mentioned the offense turning stagnant in recent years.

“23 to 25 is where the stagnation set in, to me,” wrote Mitchell Schwartz on X.

Reid has transformed the Chiefs into one of the most successful NFL franchises. Season by season, he worked hard and devised plans to set his offense apart from others. But upon attaining all the successes, the offense has become stagnant in the last couple of seasons.

The “dual flat routes” have become a common thing in Kansas City. Although the intermediate in-breaking routes once proved beneficial, in recent years, they have failed to stress modern zone defenses. Also, the franchise is lacking elite playmakers in the offense. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill left for the Miami Dolphins in 2022. And Kelce is 36 and nearing his retirement. During their championship years, the Chiefs were pretty dominant in winning close games. But in recent years, they have lost 9 games with a score difference of less than seven points.

Despite all the shortcomings, the Chiefs are trying to return to their glory days. Reid has signed Super Bowl LX MVP RB Kenneth Walker III and hired Eric Bieniemy as defensive coordinator. Coming off missing the playoffs and ending the regular season with a 6-11 record, it remains to be seen whether stagnation continues or the Chiefs see a new offense under Reid.