When Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs envisioned their season late August, they likely pictured themselves firmly in the race to reach the Super Bowl around this time in January. Fast forward five months, and Mahomes is in full recovery mode after a torn ACL and LCL, contributing to a severely disappointing 6-11 season.

The Chiefs’ concerns didn’t end with the regular season, however. As the head coaching cycle has reopened, so has interest in offensive coordinator and former Chicago Bears’ head coach, Matt Nagy. With Mahomes sensing Nagy could leave for another head coaching gig, he revealed what he’d like from his next potential coordinator.

In eight NFL seasons, Mahomes certainly knows the right qualities for a Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator. He’s learned from some of the game’s brightest minds, most notably future Hall of Fame head coach Andy Reid.

In recent media availability, Mahomes said, “I just want someone that loves football, that cares about football, that wants to do everything they can to win, to hold people accountable and to bring new ideas every single day.”

With Nagy possibly on the way out, Mahomes would have a significant say in who would hold the position next. Quarterbacks coach David Girardi could have an inside track to assume the position if they decide to hire in-house.

So far, four teams have reached out to schedule interviews with Nagy, including the Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and Arizona Cardinals.

He’s one of only a few candidates with head-coaching experience, having been the lead man in Chicago from 2018 to 2021. Outside of an NFL Coach of the Year honor in 2018, Nagy’s time with Chicago was marked with inconsistency and a lack of quarterback development.

However, now that he’s had time to learn even more from Reid and rehabilitate his image to an extent, teams are interested in what he could provide.

Regardless of whether he stays in Kansas City or not, the Chiefs’ offense will need a makeover. Often struggling to score points or get to the red zone, their offense ranked 17th according to the PFSN Offensive Impact rankings.

A top priority will be establishing the run game in 2026. This season, Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco combined for 1,073 yards on just 3.8 yards per carry. Upgrading the running back room will open the field up for the deep passes we’re accustomed to seeing Mahomes make.

Until then, all Chiefs fans can hope for is a speedy Mahomes recovery and a potentially clever offensive coordinator hiring.