Missing the postseason for the first time in more than a decade has forced the Kansas City Chiefs into unfamiliar territory. A franchise accustomed to deep playoff runs now finds itself confronting a rare reset, one that appears to be starting with changes to its coaching staff.
Changes Begin on Andy Reid’s Staff After Disappointing Season
The Chiefs’ offseason reset is already underway, and the first move points directly to an offense that struggled to find consistency.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Kansas City has moved on from wide receivers coach Connor Embree. Rapoport added that Embree may not be the only assistant affected, as head coach Andy Reid continues to evaluate what went wrong.
Embree had been part of the organization since 2019, serving in multiple roles before taking over the wide receivers room ahead of the 2023 season.
His tenure included three Super Bowl championships and several dominant offensive campaigns, but the 2025 season marked a clear downturn. Kansas City finished 6-11 despite retaining much of its championship core, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and Nick Bolton.
The #Chiefs are moving on from WRs coach Connor Embree, source said. There may be other changes to Andy Reid’s staff, but this talented group will have a new coach in 2026.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2026
The passing game, once the engine of the Chiefs’ dynasty, sputtered throughout the year. Hollywood Brown led the team’s wide receivers with just 587 yards, while Xavier Worthy and JuJu Smith-Schuster failed to stretch defenses consistently.
Injuries and availability issues also played a role, with Rashee Rice appearing in only eight games, but the overall lack of explosiveness became impossible to ignore.
Kansas City averaged just 21.3 points and 320.6 yards per game, landing in the bottom half of the league in both categories. The Chiefs ranked 17th in PFSN’s OFFi. That drop-off came despite stability at quarterback and tight end, placing increased scrutiny on the supporting cast and the coaching staff responsible for developing it.
Missing the postseason has also reshaped Kansas City’s approach to the upcoming draft. For the first time in years, the Chiefs will select inside the top 10, a rare opportunity for a franchise that has spent most of the Mahomes era picking at the back end of each round.
That draft position places renewed emphasis on surrounding Mahomes with difference-makers, particularly at wide receiver, where production lagged far behind expectations.
Moving on from Embree signals that Kansas City is no longer willing to rely solely on internal fixes. The Chiefs are positioned to reset an offense that once defined the league and now faces pressure to evolve quickly.