Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes came to the defense of his fiancee Brittany Matthews after an interaction the couple had at a Texas Tech basketball game Wednesday drew social media attention.

A discussion between the couple was caught on ESPN cameras during the broadcast of the Red Raiders' win over Baylor. Mahomes appeared to say something to Matthews, who looked to the person next to her with an animated response, seemingly mocking the quarterback.

The interaction went viral across social media, thanks in large part to Matthews' status as an increasingly polarizing figure among fans. She took significant criticism for spraying champagne on fans in celebration of the Chiefs' AFC Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills.

Matthews responded by tweeting "I just wish I could do what I want without getting attacked every week." She then partnered with an apparel store on "Team Brittany" t-shirts that benefited an anti-bullying charity. 

After the Los Angeles Rams' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, there are already eyes looking ahead to next year's title game.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills are the early favorites to be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in 2023. Both teams opened at +750 (bet $100 to win $750).

The reigning-champion Rams opened up behind the Bills and Chiefs at +1000. The Bengals are pegged right after them at +1400, which ties with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.

It's not a surprise that the Chiefs and Bills are at the top of the list, especially considering they are two of the most stable franchises in the league. Both teams will return their core players led by star quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, respectively.

The most notable changes for Kansas City and Buffalo this offseason are likely to come on both of their coaching staffs. Buffalo lost longtime offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who accepted a head coaching position with the New York Giants.

On Sunday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy's future with the team is "uncertain" because his one-year contract is set to expire. Schefter noted that Bieniemy is expected to meet with Kansas City head coach Andy Reid sometime in the near future. The Chiefs already lost quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka, who is joining Daboll's staff as Giants offensive coordinator.

The teams with the longest odds of winning next year's Super Bowl are the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions and New York Jets, who all opened at +15000.

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In the waning moments of Super Bowl LVI, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple surrendered the game-winning touchdown to Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp.

After the game, Kansas City Chiefs wideout Mecole Hardman piled on and ripped Apple for his performance:

Hardman's animosity towards Apple stems from the cornerback's victory lap on social media after the Bengals defeated the Chiefs in the AFC Championship.

One of Apple's former teammates also chimed in, as New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas expressed his lack of astonishment with the result:

Apple, who played 25 games for the Saints from 2018-19, made some disparaging remarks about the city of New Orleans last month.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy "are expected to soon meet and discuss their futures," according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter added that "there are no assurances that Bieniemy will return at this time." The 52-year-old only signed a one-year extension with Kansas City, so he can make a clean break with the franchise this offseason.

The Chiefs averaged the third-most yards (396.8) and fourth-most points (28.2) and finished third in offensive efficiency at Football Outsiders.

Although Kansas City's offense ground to a halt in the second half of the AFC Championship Game, one presumes the door is open for Bieniemy to return. 

The NFL coaching carousel has closed as well, with the various vacancies that had opened this offseason now filled. There isn't a Power Five college football program in need of a head coach, either. Auburn is retaining Bryan Harsin, taking what might have been one late option off the table. 

If Bieniemy were to leave the Chiefs now, he might have to settle for a lateral move for his next job.

But becoming an offensive coordinator elsewhere in the NFL could provide a path toward eventually ascending to a head coaching role.

It seems pretty clear by now that working on Kansas City's staff isn't enough for Bieniemy. Both of his predecessors, Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy, parlayed their time as Chiefs offensive coordinator into becoming NFL head coaches. 

Time and again he has been passed over in coaching searches.

If Bieniemy becomes the architect of another dynamic offense without the services of Reid and Patrick Mahomes, then it would go a long way toward addressing perhaps the biggest critique—whether it's fair or not—of his resume.

Were Bieniemy to leave, Reid would be looking at a vastly different offensive staff in 2022. He will have to replace both his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach/passing-game coordinator after Mike Kafka left to lead the New York Giants offense.

After missing out on a head coaching job this hiring cycle, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy's future remains at the center of attention.

According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Bieniemy's contract with the Chiefs is set to expire. That news comes shortly after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that the New Orleans Saints will hire Dennis Allen to fill their head coaching vacancy.

Bieniemy has spent the past four seasons spearheading the Kansas City offense, ranking at or near the top of the sport in most offensive categories during that span. Patrick Mahomes became just the third quarterback in NFL history with a 5,000-yard, 50-touchdown season on his way to winning MVP in 2018, and he followed it up with a Super Bowl-winning campaign in 2019. 

The Chiefs went 12-5 this past season before losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game.  

Bieniemy, who also previously spent five seasons as the Chiefs' running backs coach, has received internal support for his head coach candidacy.

"The first thing you always hear about him is how he holds everybody accountable, and that's true," Mahomes told reporters of what will make Bieniemy a successful head coach. "I mean from the top down, from the first player on the roster to the last player on the roster, he's going to make sure that you're handling your business and you're doing whatever it takes (for) the betterment of the team and to make the team better."

Bieniemy has generated no shortage of interest for head coaching positions in recent years:

However, this hiring cycle once again closed without him landing a job.

Now, Bieniemy will reportedly have a decision to make. He can either opt to remain the offensive coordinator on Andy Reid's staff in Kansas City or he can look for another opportunity elsewhere.

Losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game will be singed into Patrick Mahomes' memory for at least the next year.

During Sunday's Pro Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs star explained how only earning another berth in the Super Bowl will allow him to move on.

"I’m still not over it," he told ESPN's Lisa Salters. "I don’t think I’ll be over it until we’re playing in another Super Bowl. So, I’ll have to use that as motivation going forward."

By now, most fans know the circumstances behind Kansas City's defeat. 

The Chiefs were up 21-3 in the second quarter before mustering only three points in the second half. Andy Reid's decision to call a pass play on the 1-yard line with five seconds also backfired as the Bengals got the stop and headed into halftime with a lifeline.

Reid took the blame and said he "could’ve given [Mahomes] something better than that, but Mahomes accepted some accountability as well and said he "got a little greedy there" by looking for the touchdown.

Tom Brady's seven Super Bowl titles have somewhat skewed what fans expect from a quarterback on a legendary career track.

Joe Montana was widely regarded as the greatest QB ever before Brady, but his four rings in 15 seasons look pedestrian by comparison. For years, two-time winners John Elway and Peyton Manning had faced questions over whether they could deliver in the postseason. Aaron Rodgers might retire one day with fewer championships than Eli Manning (two).

Mahomes stewing on a loss in the conference title game is understandable, but it's important to keep his career in perspective so far. In only five years, he has collected a league MVP, one Super Bowl title, a Super Bowl MVP and two AFC championships.

That's not a bad career, and the 26-year-old might have another decade-plus to run before he hangs up his cleats.

Will this finally be the year Eric Bieniemy is offered a head coaching position? 

The New Orleans Saints are reportedly eyeing the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator for their vacant head coaching position, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. An interview could take place Saturday, per Fowler. 

Bieniemy has been interviewed for several head coaching vacancies over the last few offseasons but has never been offered a job as a head coach. He's seemingly had minimal interest this year's hiring cycle, too.

Before the Saints' reported interest, the 52-year-old had only been connected to the Denver Broncos head coaching position, which has since been filled by former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. 

Bieniemy's lack of head coaching chances was cited as evidence of racist and discriminatory hiring practices in a lawsuit filed against the NFL and its teams by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores earlier this week. 

The lawsuit points out the fact that people with less experience have been hired over Bieniemy in the past. That includes the New York Giants, who hired Joe Judge over Bieniemy ahead of the 2020 season. 

"Without question, Mr. Bieniemy has the pedigree, track record and reputation to make him a sought-after Head Coach. However, despite being interviewed for approximately 20 vacant positions over the last five years, no team has extended Mr. Bieniemy an offer," the lawsuit says.

Bieniemy is in his ninth season with the Chiefs, fourth as offensive coordinator, and is in charge of one of the NFL's most explosive offenses with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. He previously served as the team's running backs coach from 2013-17. 

The Saints are searching for a new head coach after Sean Payton stepped down last month following 15 seasons as head coach. New Orleans has interviewed three candidates thus far, including Flores, former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. 

Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu said he's "extremely surprised" and "disappointed" that offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is yet to receive a head coaching opportunity. 

“He's probably one of the most inspirational, motivational coaches I've been around. Obviously he's won a lot, coached great players, so it just sucks seeing that year after year," Mathieu told Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN.

Bieniemy, 52, has been interviewed for several vacancies over the last few years but has not been offered a job as a head coach. He's been the Chiefs' offensive coordinator since 2018, helping lead the NFL's most consistently explosive offense.

While some point to the presence of head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the leaders of the offense, both have consistently heaped praise on Bieniemy throughout his tenure. 

Bieniemy's continued lack of head coaching chances was cited as evidence of racist and discriminatory hiring practices in a lawsuit filed against the NFL and its teams by former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores on Tuesday. The suit points out that several white candidates whose resumes pale in comparison to Bieniemy's have gotten chances to lead a team. 

The New York Giants, one of the three teams specifically named in Flores' suit, are cited as passing over Bieniemy in favor of Joe Judge, an unproven white coach. 

"Without question, Mr. Bieniemy has the pedigree, track record and reputation to make him a sought-after Head Coach. However, despite being interviewed for approximately 20 vacant positions over the last five years, no team has extended Mr. Bieniemy an offer," the lawsuit reads.

Bienemy has maintained a publicly optimistic disposition despite being continually passed over, saying last year his plan was to "continue chopping wood" until an opportunity arises. 

“At the end of the day, like I always tell folks, I don’t allow anything to dictate my outcome or my future,” Bienemy told reporters. “So the only thing we can do, alright, is to continue going back to work and to continue chopping wood. And when it’s all said and done, we all are blessed to be placed in the situations that we are in because—first and foremost—we do have a job. ... Would I like to be a head coach? Yes, I would. But you know what, it’s going to happen, at the right place, with the right people, at the right time.”

Mathieu told Martin he feels the NFL needs more Black coaches in large part because the vast majority of players are Black, so they often are better able to relate to players. 

Each of the four head coaches hired this offseason have been white. There is currently only one Black NFL head coach: Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers.