Eric Bieniemy’s return to the Kansas City Chiefs has brought back a familiar intensity, and Travis Kelce is already feeling it. With the Chiefs set to open their regular-season campaign against the Denver Broncos, Kelce has made it clear that he is enjoying having his former offensive coordinator back in Kansas City.
Speaking to his brother Jason Kelce on New Heights, Travis opened up about Bieniemy’s return and the impact he has already had inside the Chiefs’ building.
“It’s a breath of f—ing fresh air, man,” Kelce said. “I just love it, man. This has nothing to do with who was on the staff last year. It’s just what Bieniemy brings to the table and how he goes about it, man. And he’s holding everybody accountable, me included.”
“He’s gotten on my a– a few times, got me going on days that I needed it, and I love him for it,” Kelce said. “If you take the right mentality with a coach like this, knowing that his intentions are to make this team the greatest team he could possibly make it. As long as you know where his intentions are and you don’t take things the wrong way, or when you’re feeling s—ty, you don’t let those negative emotions get to you and you take coaching the right way, you could see some of this kind of culture change back into what it was.”
Bieniemy’s demanding approach is not new to Kansas City. During his previous stint with the Chiefs, he helped oversee offenses that won two Super Bowls, including the team’s victories in Super Bowl LIV and LVII. His departure in 2023, however, came after years of questions about how much control he had over Kansas City’s offense and whether he could successfully run one without Andy Reid alongside him.
To prove he could succeed outside Reid’s shadow, Bieniemy joined the Washington Commanders as their assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2023. The results, however, did little to quiet the questions surrounding him. Washington ranked 23rd in the NFL in scoring that season, while its offense struggled in several other areas. The Commanders also failed to get consistent production from quarterback Sam Howell, and Bieniemy was not retained after the season.
His next stop at UCLA did little to change that perception, but Bieniemy’s fortunes began to shift after he joined the Chicago Bears. His work with the team’s offense helped the Bears rank third in the NFL in yards per carry, giving him a stronger platform heading into 2026. By January, Kansas City had brought him back, giving Bieniemy another chance to return to the organization where he had built his reputation.
Kelce had welcomed Bieniemy’s return from the outset, calling him “one of my favorite coaches of all time” on New Heights in January. Months later, that enthusiasm had not faded. After experiencing Bieniemy’s approach during training camp, Kelce again praised the intensity he had brought back to Kansas City.
“The intensity is infectious,” he said after practice. “It makes you want to scream ‘m—f—’ at everybody doing the wrong thing. I love that s—. I don’t think there’s enough of that in this world, let alone in this building… We really missed it,” he stated.
Running back Brashard Smith stated that things will get tough for the player.
“It’s going to be hell,” he told 41KSHB’s Matt Foster.
Bieniemy’s return has clearly changed the tone inside Kansas City, but the real test will come once that intensity has to translate into results. With the Chiefs preparing to begin the regular season, Bieniemy now has another opportunity to prove that he can help lead the offense back to the Super Bowl.