The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to bring back Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, and it naturally stirred a reaction from Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs tight end and one half of the New Heights podcast team, Kelce spent the first decade of his career with Bieniemy as his running backs coach and offensive coordinator, putting together the foundation of what likely will be a Hall of Fame career for Kelce one day.
Bieniemy left the Chiefs in 2023, spending the past three seasons with the Washington Commanders, at UCLA and as the running backs coach with the Chicago Bears in 2025. And though he’s been a bit itinerant the past three seasons, Bieniemy left a lasting impression as a tough, demanding coach on Kelce during their previous time together.
“I love that [he’s returning to Kansas City],” Kelce said on Wednesday’s episode of the New Heights podcast. “I think it’s great. I think it’s a marriage that’s gonna pick up right where it left off.
“Who (Bieniemy) is as a coach, you can see kind of his personality, what he brings to the table in that Chicago team,” Kelce said. “I know (Bears head coach) Ben Johnson has his own version of that. He’s a very tough guy. … And you can see those running backs over in Chicago and their body of work was definitely an Eric Bieniemy style of football, man.”
There’s no guarantee that Kelce and Bieniemy will run it back, however. Retirement rumors have swirled around the 36-year-old Kelce for more than a year now, and he was treated by fans to a virtual sendoff at the end of a frustrating 2025 season with the Chiefs -- just in case that was indeed it for him.
But did Kelce drop a hint in his Bieniemy praise that he could be back in 2026?
“I can’t wait to see him back in the building, man,” Kelce said. “He’s one of my favorite coaches of all time, one of my favorite people of all time. I’ve had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player, as a person, and I just love the guy.
“It’s gonna be awesome to see him back in the building and see him back wearing the Chiefs logo, baby.”
So does that mean Kelce is also back, baby?
Not necessarily. Kelce could be talking about going back and visiting old friends, perhaps checking up on injured teammate Patrick Mahomes or maybe sharing a hot meal with Bieniemy, Andy Reid and the rest of the old crew.
But for breadcrumb-chasing Chiefs fans hoping to run it back one more time, Kelce’s words might take on an entirely different meaning. Interpret his words how you may. They’re all we’ve got until Kelce makes a more formal announcement about his NFL future.