The Kansas City Chiefs are continuing to bring in fresh faces on their offensive coaching staff.
They’ve already hired a new wide receivers coach in Chad O’Shea, a new offensive quality control coach in Nate Pagan, and brought back Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator. The Chiefs parted ways with running backs coach Todd Pinkston, and fans have waited patiently to see who his replacement would be.
Kansas City requested permission to interview Deland McCullough for the role, who served as its RB coach from 2018 to 2020. However, that never came to fruition, and the Chiefs have now moved on. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Kansas City are hiring Oklahoma Sooners RB coach DeMarco Murray to be its RB coach.
Murray has been coaching on the college level since 2019 and now makes the jump to the NFL.
There is a considerable risk/reward aspect to Kansas City Chiefs’ hire of DeMarco Murray
Murray spent seven years (2011 to 2017) in the NFL as a running back. During that time he rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns, while being named to the Pro Bowl three times, as well as First-Team All-Pro and NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2014.
Murray jumped into coaching immediately after his playing days, joining the Arizona Wildcats as their RB coach. He left after one season to join his alma mater Oklahoma in the same role. Since joining the Sooners in 2019, Murray has had his ups and downs.
Oklahoma’s rushing attack was very good during Murray’s first year with the team, averaging 240 yards per game and six yards per carry. However, it’s been inconsistent since then, and hit a low in 2025 as the Sooners 104th in the nation in rushing yards per game at 119 yards. Murray has also been criticized with how he has utilized and rotated his running backs.
None of those things necessarily mean that Murray can’t be successful in Kansas City. He only had so much control as a position coach at Oklahoma, and perhaps the NFL is more suited for his coaching style. He is certainly coming into a great situation with one of the best head coaches of all time in Andy Reid and an OC in Bieniemy that is also a former running back and longtime RB coach.
Chiefs’ most needed improvement on offense in 2026 is the rushing attack
GettyKansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid (right) and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy (left).
Kansas City ranked 25th in the league in rushing offense last season, averaging 106 yards per game. Every Chiefs running back averaged less than four yards per carry. Opposing defenses simply did not respect the threat of the Chiefs’ rushing attack, which hampered their passing game.
The Chiefs currently have just two running backs under for the 2026 season (Brashard Smith and ShunDerrick Powell), neither of who are equipped to be starters. Kansas City not only needs an impact starter at the position, but also a quality backup. It will then fall on the shoulders of Reid, Bieniemy, and Murray to coach up the position and provide the offense with a legitimate running game that will take some pressure off of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Chiefs are Taking Considerable Risk With Latest Coaching Hire