Chiefs Part Ways with Wide Receivers Coach Connor Embree Following Disappointing 2025 Campaign
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially begun their offseason restructuring, and the first major change to Andy Reid’s staff has arrived. The team has parted ways with wide receivers coach Connor Embree. The move comes on the heels of a 6-11 season that fell well below the franchise’s standard of excellence, signaling that head coach Andy Reid is not content to stand pat after missing the playoffs.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport first reported the news, noting that while Embree is out, the talented group of receivers remaining on the roster will have a new leader in 2026. This decision marks the beginning of what could be a pivotal offseason for a team looking to regain its footing in the AFC.
A Season Derailed by Injury and Inconsistency
The 2025 season will be remembered in Kansas City for all the wrong reasons. The team finished with a 6-11 record, a stark contrast to the dominance fans have come to expect at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. While the headline story of the season was undoubtedly the season-ending torn ACL suffered by quarterback Patrick Mahomes in December, the issues on offense extended beyond the quarterback position.
Throughout the year, the passing attack struggled to find a consistent rhythm. Despite having what many analysts considered a talented wide receiver room, the production did not match the potential on paper. Dropped passes, miscommunication on routes, and an inability to create separation were recurring themes that plagued the unit. Even before Mahomes was lost for the year, the offense often looked disjointed.
In the NFL, when a specific unit underperforms despite having talent, the position coach is often the first to face scrutiny. Embree’s dismissal suggests that the organization believes there is more production to be unlocked from their current roster than what was shown on the field in 2025.
Andy Reid Signals Urgency for 2026
Head coach Andy Reid has never been one to make rash decisions, but the reality of a six-win season has seemingly forced his hand. Reid is known for his loyalty to his staff, yet he is also intensely competitive. The firing of Embree indicates a recognition that the status quo is no longer acceptable.
Speaking at his offseason press conference, Reid did not hide his frustration regarding how the year unfolded. He acknowledged the obstacles the team faced but refused to use them as an excuse for the final record.
“Nobody wants a season like this,” Reid said. “That is not what we strive for and work hard for. But there are obstacles that come into play, and you have to work through those. And there is a learning curve here that you can set with some of the experiences we had for all of us and then never do it again.”
Reid emphasized that this unfamiliar position of finishing with a losing record has provided a new spark of motivation. He noted that in his ten years with the team, he has never been in this specific situation, and he is eager to get the offseason started to correct the course.
What the Chiefs Need in Their Next Hire
The vacancy at wide receivers coach becomes one of the most attractive, yet high-pressure, job openings in the league. The incoming coach will inherit a group that the front office still believes in, along with the expectation of immediate improvement.
With Patrick Mahomes expected to return from his ACL injury for the 2026 campaign, the Chiefs cannot afford a “rebuilding” year on offense. They need a teacher who can refine the technical aspects of the position. The focus will likely be on discipline, route-running precision, and restoring the explosive plays that made the Chiefs’ offense feared across the league.
Rapoport hinted that there may be other changes to Reid’s staff, suggesting that the evaluation process is ongoing. However, the decision to move on from Embree specifically targets the area where the team felt the most disconnect between talent and execution.
The Road Ahead for Kansas City
As the Chiefs watch the playoffs from home for the first time in years, the focus shifts entirely to roster and staff management. The firing of Connor Embree is the first step in acknowledging that the 2025 season was a failure that requires structural changes to fix.
The pressure will be on Reid and the front office to ensure that the next hire can maximize the passing game. With a healthy quarterback and a renewed coaching staff, the expectation for 2026 will be nothing short of a return to Super Bowl contention. For now, the Chiefs are left to pick up the pieces of a broken season and start the hard work of climbing back to the top of the mountain.
