Every touchdown, sideline reaction, and locker-room moment now carries extra weight since Travis Kelce’s wedding to Taylor Swift. And naturally, a global pop star screaming “that’s my husband!” while pointing at her ring only adds to the hype. Yet, once the cameras stop rolling, it is his standing inside the Kansas City Chiefs’ facility that truly matters. And Eric Bieniemy’s latest comments reveal what still stands out to those who know him best.
“He’s become this big-time megastar, well, I think he married up, but he’s always remained the same. He provides leadership to our guys; he provides the necessary energy,” said Bieniemy of Kelce on Thursday, September 24.
“He helped them get through certain times, but it was fun to watch and is always good, just to see players enjoy themselves, but when they have a good, productive day, it is great to see.”
The offensive coordinator has known Kelce since the early years of his career, as he worked with the tight end throughout Bieniemy’s previous decade-long stint in Kansas City. Bieniemy was the Chiefs’ running backs coach from 2013 to 2017 before becoming the team’s offensive coordinator from 2018 through 2022. During that span, Kelce became one of the most productive tight ends in NFL history by recording his seventh straight season with over 1,000 receiving yards.
Bieniemy returned to Kansas City as offensive coordinator in 2026 after spending time with Washington, UCLA, and Chicago. And just as the offensive coordinator holds Kelce in high regard, the tight end has equal love for his coach.
“He’s one of my favorite coaches of all time, one of my favorite people of all time. I’ve had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player, as a person, and I just love the guy, and it’s going to be awesome to see him back in the building and see him back wearing the Chiefs logo, baby,” Kelce said in January.
However, the relationship has never been easy; the two even shared a heated sideline exchange in 2019 that Kelce later admitted he regretted. He has since described the offensive coordinator as a father figure.
“Me and Coach Bieniemy have a very close relationship. I love him. He’s helped me out tremendously as a person, as a professional, and I’m sure he’ll keep doing that throughout the rest of my career…I love the guy. That will never change. I appreciate him being on my tail to get me going,” Kelce said back then.
“As far as what happened on the sideline, sometimes in football you get a little heated with your brothers or your coaches.”
Now with both reunited, the OC is getting an up-close look at a player whose star power has exploded in recent years. Yet according to Bieniemy, all the noise vanishes the moment Kelce steps between the lines.
