Travis Kelce may not have officially announced whether he will play in 2026, but his latest comments about Eric Bieniemy have Chiefs fans listening closely for clues. With Matt Nagy departing after his contract expired following Kansas City’s disappointing 2025 season, the Chiefs are again searching for a new offensive coordinator — and a familiar name has quickly surged to the top of the list.
Travis Kelce Sounds Ready for 2026 While Discussing Eric Bieniemy
Those were Kelce’s most recent comments about EB, and they came out today. 👇
Kelce’s excitement about Bieniemy’s return stood out immediately, especially given that retirement remains a major offseason storyline for the 36-year-old tight end.
“I think it’s a marriage that’s going to pick up right where it left off, EB (Eric Bieniemy), and who he is as a coach,” Kelce said while speaking with his brother, Jason Kelce, on the January 21 episode of “New Heights.” “You can see a kind of his personality, what he brings to the table in that Chicago team…can see those running backs over Chicago, and their body of work was definitely an Eric Bieniemy style of football. I can’t wait to see him back in the building.”
That final line — “I can’t wait to see him back in the building” — is what raised eyebrows. Kelce didn’t frame it like a former player watching from the outside. He spoke like someone expecting to be there when Bieniemy walks in.
To be clear, Kelce has not publicly confirmed his plans for next season. He has also been careful in recent years not to make a decision before taking time to reflect. But the way he talked about Bieniemy sounded like he was already thinking about what comes next.
Travis Kelce Praised Eric Bieniemy Long Before This Reunion Talk
Kelce’s enthusiasm isn’t new. He spent years working with Bieniemy as one of Andy Reid’s top offensive voices. Bieniemy, now 56, spent a decade in Kansas City — first as running backs coach from 2013 to 2017, then as offensive coordinator from 2018 through 2022.
That span overlapped with the rise of Patrick Mahomes and one of the most dominant offensive runs in the NFL. Kansas City won two Super Bowls during Bieniemy’s coordinator tenure and never finished lower than sixth in the league in points scored.
Kelce also made it clear years ago that Bieniemy had a major influence on the offense — and on him personally.
“Week in, week out, he has our team prepared and ready to go,” Kelce said in February 2022. “Everyone says it’s an Andy Reid offense—he has 51%, I’m not going to say it’s not. But it is a collective group putting this offense together.”
Kelce then challenged the idea that Bieniemy was not deeply involved in how the offense operated.
“I ask everybody, ‘Come on in, see who’s standing up in front of our offense getting us ready for situational football, who’s in front of us week in week out at halftime trying to make adjustments. Who is the guy that’s rallying this group and has the emotion as a player and as a coach to keep us firing as an offensive unit?’ And that’s Eric Bieniemy,” Kelce said.
He also emphasized how Bieniemy helped elevate him over the years.
“I’ve been a big fan of him my entire career, he’s done unbelievable things for my skillset personally and my mentality in terms of helping me grow as a player,” Kelce said, adding that Bieniemy was “more than deserving” of a head coaching job.
Patrick Mahomes Defended Eric Bieniemy With One Clear Message
Kelce isn’t the only star who has publicly backed Bieniemy. Mahomes offered a strong defense in February 2023 after Bieniemy’s coaching style came under scrutiny.
“There should be no questions on how great of a man/coach Coach Bienemy is,” Mahomes wrote on X. “His leadership has a direct impact on the player/person i am today!”
Mahomes also pointed out that Bieniemy spent years learning under Andy Reid — and made it clear he expected Bieniemy to silence doubters.
“10+ years learning under one of the greatest coaches of all time… and I cannot wait for him to continue to prove doubters wrong!” Mahomes added.
Travis Kelce Subtly Drops Retirement Hint While Reacting to Eric Bieniemy’s Chiefs Return