Kansas City Chiefs Navigate Uncharted Waters in Troubled Offseason
The Kansas City Chiefs are confronting a profoundly unfamiliar offseason landscape, marked by instability that contrasts sharply with years of consistent success. A disappointing 6-11 record, capped by six consecutive losses to conclude the 2025 campaign, eliminated Kansas City from playoff contention for the first time since 2014, signaling a dramatic shift in the franchise's fortunes.
Mahomes Injury Casts Shadow Over 2026 Season
The team's challenges were compounded by a devastating injury to superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a torn ACL midway through the season. This premature end to his 2025 campaign has placed his availability for the 2026 season under serious medical scrutiny, creating significant uncertainty for an offense that has long relied on his elite talents.
Coaching Staff Exodus Continues With Williams Interview Request
While the Chiefs have made some stabilizing moves, including the return of Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, another crucial staff member may be departing. The Arizona Cardinals have formally requested permission to interview Dan Williams for their vacant quarterbacks coach position, according to multiple reports.
Williams' potential departure would represent another significant loss for a Chiefs organization already in a vulnerable position. The young coach has built substantial institutional knowledge during his seven-year tenure with Kansas City, including the last three seasons as assistant quarterbacks coach.
Reporter Confirms Cardinals' Interest in Chiefs Coach
Esteemed NFL reporter Cameron Wolfe provided confirmation via social media, stating: "Arizona Cardinals have requested to interview Dan Williams for their QB coach position, per source. Williams is in Year 7 with Chiefs, the last 3 as assistant QB coach. A young rising coach and key figure for Patrick Mahomes with a chance for elevation."
Continuity Shattered as Reid's Staff Disperses
Several members of head coach Andy Reid's long-standing staff have departed for new opportunities, fracturing a cohesive group that guided the team through multiple deep playoff runs. The most significant departure was offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who accepted a position with the New York Giants.
The potential loss of Williams adds further complexity to this staff transition. Williams joined the Chiefs organization in 2019 as a coaching intern and steadily earned increased responsibility, eventually serving as an assistant to the head coach—a role that provided him intimate access to Reid's strategic thinking and the team's internal operations.
Promotion and Potential Departure Timeline
In 2023, Williams received a promotion to assistant quarterbacks coach, working directly under quarterbacks coach David Girardi. His potential exit would deliver another blow to a Chiefs team already working to rebuild confidence and consistency following an offensive collapse.
Kansas City's offense finished a dismal 30th in points per game during the 2025 season, struggling to maintain rhythm as injuries accumulated and execution faltered. The team showed promise with a 6-5 record late in the season and remained alive in the playoff race before their complete late-season unraveling.
This combination of on-field struggles, key injuries, and coaching staff instability creates unprecedented challenges for a franchise accustomed to postseason success, setting the stage for a critical offseason of evaluation and reconstruction.
