Leadership growth
Changes to Chiefs coaching staff could reap big rewards
The Kansas City Chiefs have been required to make changes to their coaching staff over the years, the natural byproduct of success, as top assistants such asDougPedersonandMattNagygothiredaway for better jobs elsewhere.
Thispastoffseason,though,AndyReidmade some changes that seemed unnecessary at first glance.
It began when running backs coach Deland McCullough left for a job as the associate head coach at Indiana, opening up a job once held by current Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Rather than simply hire someone to replaceMcCullough,Reiddecidedtomovewide receiverscoachGregLewisintotherole—even though his work with Tyreek Hill and the rest of the Chiefs’ pass-catching crew has been a big reason for their offensive success.
That began a game of musical chairs.
Joe Bleymaier moved from the quarterbacks room, where he was helping Patrick Mahomes become one of the league’s best players, to handlethewidereceivers.DavidGirardimoved into that role as assistant quarterbacks coach, andhisspotwastakenbyConnorEmbree,who was working on the defensive side.
SowhydidReidagreetosomuchmaneuvering on a staff returning from back-to-back AFC titles relatively intact?
“Iwantguystohavetheopportunitytogrow,” Reid said.
“Gregactuallycametomeaboutwantingthe challenge of coaching the running backs,” he continued, “and as you guys know about how I feel about Greg, he’s very, very intelligent, has a great feel for the game, did a phenomenal job with the wide receivers. And now he’s able to learn that other side — the protection side and all that goes into coaching the running backs and the run game, and still give them tips in the pass game to make them even better than what they are now.”
It’sapositionthatthe41-year-oldLewis,who spent eight years playing wide receiver in the NFL, has never coached before, and he’s taking on the job for a team that once again has Super Bowl aspirations.
No pressure there. Yetthechangecouldcomeattheperfecttime. Severalwidereceivers,suchasDemarcusRobinsonandMecoleHardman,appearedtostagnate intheirdevelopmentthepastcoupleofseasons. And with the departure of Sammy Watkins in free agency, the Chiefs are desperate for someone to establish themselves as the No. 2 wide receiver.
Just maybe, Bleymaier will be able to pull something out of them.
“It’s a little unique with Greg still being here, Coach Lewis being just down the hall,” Bleymaier said. “I go to him daily for questions, advice, our guys go to him. I’m the new wide receiver coach, but we kind of just gained an extra receiver coach because Greg is still there, and the guys feel free to go talk to him as well. So it’s been seamless at least for me.”