Kansas City Chiefs lose another coach to the college ranks — and fire a position coach who played for Andy Reid in Philadelphia

The Kansas City Chiefs more assistant coaching positions to fill after recent departures.

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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The Kansas City Chiefs are making more changes to their coaching staff for the 2026 NFL season.

The Chiefs had already lost assistant defensive line coach Alex Whittingham, who joined his father at the University of Michigan. They also fired WRs coach Connor Embree after a disappointing season. The latest moves include another assistant leaving for an opportunity in the college game and another position coach being fired.

Chiefs fire RBs coach Todd Pinkston after three seasons with the team

The Chiefs will need a new running back coach for the 2026 NFL season after the team has relieved RBs coach Todd Pinkston of his duties, as first reported by KC Star columnist Sam McDowell. Pinkston joined the team’s coaching staff in 2023 after spending six seasons as the wide receivers coach at Austin Peay. He played in the NFL on Andy Reid’s Eagles teams from 2000 through 2005.

This was always viewed as a strange hire for Kansas City in 2023, given the fact that Pinkston had never coached the running back position before. That was painfully apparent during the 2025 NFL season, when Pinkston’s unit had the league’s worst explosive run rate. He had replaced Greg Lewis in 2023 (also a former Andy Reid wide receiver in Philly), who coached the position in 2021 and 2022. Needless to say, it might be time to go with a RBs coach who has experience either coaching or playing the position.

Right now, the team only has two running backs under contract for the 2026 NFL season: Brashard Smith and ShunDerrick Powell.

Chiefs lose defensive quality control coach Louie Addazio to UNLV

As first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Chiefs are also set to lose defensive quality control coach Louie Addazio to UNLV. There, he will be switching to the offensive side of the ball, where he’ll coach the offensive line. Addazio had been with Kansas City for the last two years, bringing his expertise as a college O-Line coach to focus on the defensive front and limiting the opponent’s rushing game.

These two departures bring the total for Kansas City up to four as they await any potential news on Matt Nagy, Steve Spagnuolo, and Joe Cullen, who have each interviewed for positions outside of the Chiefs’ organization.

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