ERIC BIENIEMY’S UNCERTAIN FUTURE: BEST OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR LEFT WAITING
Eric Bieniemy, widely regarded as the best offensive coordinator in football, should be in Las Vegas right now. However, due to a lack of self-belief, impatience, and possibly bad advice, he finds himself waiting to see if he still has a job. The Commanders, his former team, are currently “working through” his situation as they welcome a new offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, under the leadership of Dan Quinn. It is expected that the issue will be addressed on Monday.
Just a year ago, Bieniemy was introduced as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders. Now, he watches from the sidelines as his former team, the Kansas City Chiefs, competes in their fourth Super Bowl in five years without him. Looking back, it becomes clear that the signs were there from the beginning.
Former Commanders head coach Ron Rivera expressed hope that this new opportunity would benefit Bieniemy, allowing him to shine outside the shadow of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Unfortunately, Rivera has since been fired, and the Commanders have undergone significant changes, leaving Bieniemy’s future uncertain.
Bieniemy has long been a symbol of inequality in the NFL coaching hiring process. Despite his impressive resume, he has faced rejection time and time again, something that a white coach would likely never experience. Critics have pointed to his past mistakes and downplayed his contributions to the Chiefs’ success. However, the Chiefs’ offense struggled in the season that Bieniemy was absent, suggesting his importance to the team.
In an article from FOX 5 Washington DC last February, it was noted that Bieniemy had interviewed for 15 different NFL head coaching jobs on 16 occasions. This level of rejection is disheartening, and yet, Bieniemy convinced himself that taking the offensive coordinator position in Washington would eventually lead to a head coaching job. Unfortunately, this decision proved to be misguided.
Washington has long been plagued by dysfunction and scandal. The team’s management has been criticized for their handling of various issues, including the use of a racial slur as the team name. Despite attempts to diversify the organization, it remains a place where winning is not always valued. Players complained about Bieniemy’s high standards, further highlighting the challenges he faced in Washington.
Now, both Rivera and Bieniemy find themselves without a team. Rivera was unable to succeed as a head coach, while Bieniemy’s future remains uncertain. Throughout his interviews, Mahomes and Reid have been his biggest advocates, recognizing that Kansas City was the best place for him. Perhaps Bieniemy should consider reaching out to his agent to explore the possibility of returning to his old job in Kansas City, just as the Prodigal Son found success in returning home.
