Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is no stranger to the NFL spotlight.
After a stint as the Chicago Bears’ head coach from 2018-21, Nagy has found his footing helping concoct the Chiefs’ offensive game plan for Andy Reid’s team.
A former quarterback, Nagy played college football at the University of Delaware, setting school passing records before taking his talents to the Arena Football League. He is ready to elevate the Chiefs’ already potent offense led by their superstar quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.
Everything You Need To Know About Matt Nagy
Born in 1978 in New Jersey, Nagy has carved out an impressive football career despite a modest start. After his parents’ divorce, Nagy moved to Pennsylvania, where he excelled in high school football, earning a spot as the starting quarterback at Manheim Central High School.
Despite his success, Nagy’s relatively small stature limited his college offers, leading him to the University of Delaware.
At Delaware, Nagy thrived, but his NFL dreams didn’t pan out as expected. Remembering those days again in 2018, Nagy said:
“I was at a point where I’m out of college [and] I’m kind of figuring which direction I’m going to go. Am I going to get a chance in the NFL? Am I going to use my degree and become a teacher? Am I going to try a lower-level league in the football world?”
Although the New York Giants showed interest, their signing of Jesse Palmer dashed Nagy’s hopes of joining the team.
With limited options, Nagy turned to the Arena Football League (AFL), debuting with the New York Dragons in 2002. His AFL journey saw him play for teams like the Carolina Cobras, Georgia Force, and Columbus Destroyers.
Transitioning from player to coach, Nagy started as a quarterbacks coach at various high schools before interning with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008. He returned as an intern the following season, but on Aug. 10, three days before Philadelphia’s preseason game, backup quarterback Kevin Kolb suffered a knee injury.
To avoid forcing starting quarterback Donovan McNabb and third-string quarterback A.J. Feeley to play more snaps, the Eagles attempted to sign Nagy as a backup quarterback since he was already working with the team and familiar with the offense.
The NFL initially allowed the Eagles to sign Nagy as a player and he practiced with the team for one day. Then, the league eventually voided the deal since he was technically still under contract in the AFL.
Nagy’s coaching ability still caught the attention of Reid, as he joined his staff as a coach’s assistant in 2010. Nagy was elevated to an offensive quality control coach in 2011 and followed Reid to the Chiefs in 2013.
Nagy’s coaching career peaked with a head coaching position with Bears (2018–21) before he returned to the Chiefs as their offensive coordinator in 2023.
How Long Has Nagy Been the Kansas City Chiefs’ Offensive Coordinator?
Nagy is in his eighth overall season with the Chiefs in 2024 when factoring in his two stints with the team. It’s his fourth year as offensive coordinator, and he’s attempting to help lead Kansas City to a Super Bowl three-peat.
"He put us on his back. Him and Kelce. We stuck together and we won another Super Bowl." – #Chiefs OC Matt Nagy, who had a huge part in this offensive growth through the year, on Patrick Mahomes. Our conversation on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/r35FuPlYtU
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) February 12, 2024
After rejoining the Chiefs in 2022, Nagy wasted no time making an impact.
His tactics and coaching style have been crucial in Mahomes’ success. Mahomes produced another stellar season in 2023, with 4,183 passing yards and 27 touchdown passes. Under Nagy’s guidance, Mahomes secured his third Super Bowl MVP.
Who Was the Offensive Coordinator Before Nagy?
Before 2023, Eric Bieniemy handled the offensive coordinator role for the Chiefs, a position he held for five years. Bieniemy served as running backs coach the five years before that, thus spending a decade on the offensive side of the ball with Reid and Co.
Leaving Reid’s reign in Kansas City, Bieniemy joined the Washington Commanders for the 2023 season. He is now the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins.
Eric Bieniemy was Kansas City’s offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022. Once Nagy left the Chiefs to become head coach of the Bears, Bieniemy was elevated from running backs coach to offensive coordinator in 2018.
Despite earning head coaching interviews from several teams, Bieniemy failed to secure a job as an NFL head coach and joined the Washington Commanders in 2023. Bieniemy served as Washington’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for just one season.
Bieniemy is currently the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at UCLA, as he departed the NFL to pursue a career on the collegiate level in 2024.
