Looking to land his second head coaching job, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has a busy few days ahead. It was already known that Nagy would interview for the Titans’ head coaching position on Thursday. He’ll also meet with the Raiders on Thursday and the Cardinals on Friday, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Nagy led the Bears from 2018-21, a four-year run in which they made the playoffs twice and went 34-31. He won Coach of the Year honors after helping the Mitch Trubisky-quarterbacked club to a 12-4 campaign.
Nagy’s Bears were unable to build on the success they experienced in his first season. They didn’t win more than eight games in any of his other three years, and they finished 0-2 in the playoffs. He lost his job on the heels of a 6-11 campaign in which then-rookie Justin Fields served as the Bears’ primary starting QB.
Both Trubisky and Fields entered the NFL as first-round picks. Nagy could have another shot at developing a young first-round signal-caller if the Titans, Raiders or Cardinals hire him. The Titans used the No. 1 pick on Cam Ward last spring. The Raiders are expected to take a QB with the first selection in 2026, and the Cardinals could do the same at No. 3 overall.
Nagy was Kansas City’s offensive coordinator in 2017, Patrick Mahomes‘ rookie campaign, but the future Hall of Fame QB sat behind veteran Alex Smith that year. Since returning to the Chiefs as a senior assistant/QBs coach in 2022, Nagy has been part of three AFC-winning teams and two Super Bowl champions.
Nagy’s second stint as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator began in 2023, though head coach Andy Reid has called the plays. Nagy said he doesn’t plan on handling play-calling duties if someone hires him as a head coach, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. In the event Nagy doesn’t receive a second HC chance in 2026, it’s unknown where he’ll wind up. After reportedly rejecting an extension offer from the Chiefs, the 47-year-old is without a contract.
Not sure why anyone would actually want Nagy, is there a Rooney Rule where you must interview bald white coaches or something?
Other than the fact he’s affiliated with Reid and Mahomes, what is the appeal of Nagy? He doesn’t call plays now, said he won’t call plays as a head coach, and had a poor outing his last time as an HC. If he was calling the plays in KC or responsible for developing/improving Mahomes, I’d get the appeal, even with the down year. But a non-play calling OC promoted to head coach (Brian Callahan) didn’t work out for Tennessee last time, as Zac Taylor was the play caller in Cincinnati. Eric Bieniemy was a great example of a Reid-adjacent OC that didn’t call plays and went to Washington to demonstrate his capabilities and promptly got thrown out on his ear. What am I missing?
Bieniemy has done well in Chicago this year.
Skip the obvious one, Pederson, who won the Super Bowl. Calling plays doesn’t have anything to do with being an HC. He was probably a better HC than he is an OC. He went 12-4 with Mitch Trubisky at qB.
realfootball fan – You’re forgetting that Reid had Pederson call plays during the 2015 season after that terrible 1-5 start, leading to his hire as Philly’s HC. I don’t think that qualifies him for the list I presented as comps for Nagy, since he proved his chops calling plays and Philly knew the quality of Reid as a play caller. Certainly not an “obvious” oversight.
Brian wolf – As a running backs coach. That’s certainly a step below OC, although you can tip your hat to the CHI running game. He’s still not calling plays or running 100% of the offense, much less the whole team.
As a Bears fan I strongly suggest to other organizations do not hire Nagy. The only thing that kept Nagy from sinking earlier in his tenure was he inherited DC/Assistant HC Vic Fangio and a strong defense. Once Fangio left and that leadership left the D and locker room the team went downhill. Even though he has the title of OC with KC, HC Reid still called plays. Looks like a lack of faith and confidence. Nagy had nothing to do with the success of Mahomes or the Offense. Reid was a part of that as well as the players assembled. It was a perfect storm of events that all came together at that time.
Except he hired Fangio. He wasn’t on John Fox’s staff. Are you suggesting he should have done way better with the qB the organization handed him, Mitch Trubisky? What did him in was that was his QB and that they had a rash of injuries on defense in particular the second year he was there.
GM Ryan Pace hired Vic Fangio in 2015. So, yes, Nagy inherited Fangio.
Truly might be the least inspiring name I’ve seen connected to multiple teams (only Jason Garrett would edge him out for me). The best thing about Nagy’s time as a head coach was the defense and Fangio isn’t available this time.
when Nagy was fired in Chicago, it was because he was exposed as a one-trick pony. He was only capable of coordinating an Andy Reid offense. But incapable of providing the secret ingredients that Reid does to keep up with when defenses crack the code.
so he had the option to test the waters around the league, and gain some wisdom, but no, he chose to run right back into the arms of Reid, back into his old role, where he hasn’t been tested in years.
He’s learned nothing in 5 years. and it will show, whoever is the unlucky sucker foolish enough to hire him.
Trubisky has been in several offenses since then, and he’s looked worse.