Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, left, and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, center, are shown during the first half of a game against the Denver Broncoson Jan. 8 in Denver.
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, right, congratulates quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the first half of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2 in Cincinnati. Even though the NFL attempted to enhance opportunities for minority candidates to become head coaches in a league whose players are 70% black, there was a disconnect.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, left, and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, center, are shown during the first half of a game against the Denver Broncoson Jan. 8 in Denver.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, left, and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, center, are shown during the first half of a game against the Denver Broncoson Jan. 8 in Denver.
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, right, congratulates quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the first half of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2 in Cincinnati. Even though the NFL attempted to enhance opportunities for minority candidates to become head coaches in a league whose players are 70% black, there was a disconnect.
After several years of seeking, Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy still has aspirations of becoming an NFL head coach.
“I just gotta go get it,” said Bieniemy at last Thursday’s OTAs. “I’m not seeking any comfort. I haven’t gotten it for whatever reason. It don’t matter; I’m gonna keep knocking on that door.”
Bieniemy has interviewed for over a dozen head coaching positions in the league over the last four offseasons. The same question is raised year-to-year of why Bieniemy has yet to secure that coveted position with a franchise, but for the fourth-year OC, he’s focused on working with the franchise he’s with currently.
“In reality, yes, it is tough. But, I don’t let that keep me from doing what I do. I’m still alive, I’m breathing and I have an opportunity to work with a championship team,” said Bieniemy last Thursday. “
In this recent offseason, Bieniemy had interviewed for nearly eight hours with the New Orleans Saints for their head coaching vacancy, but the franchise ultimately decided to offer the position to then-defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to take over for longtime coach Sean Payton.
Bieniemy will still be on the job hunt next offseason and his efforts to get a HC spot took another step forward a few weeks ago when he and multiple coaches and general manager prospects around the league attended the NFL’s first coach and front office accelerator program last month in May where coaches got the chance to meet face-to-face with the owners around the league. Bieniemy affirmed last Thursday that when he does interview for head coaching jobs that he does interview with the owners of the respected teams, but the program in Atlanta put on by the league allowed coaches, like Bieniemy, to meet owners in a different setting.
“It’s out a business setting; it’s a personal setting when you get to know people and I think that’s important because everybody doesn’t know Eric Bieniemy. I don’t know all those owners and I think the benefit of what the league did was huge,” said Bieniemy. “It gave everyone a voice and a view to see exactly from that window what it’s like to interact with those people, but on top of that, to have that opportunity to just say ‘hey, this is who I am.’”
Since Bieniemy took over as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, the offense has ranked in the top 4 of points and yards since 2018. How this new-look offense ranks among the other teams in the league this upcoming season will be a new opportunity for Bieniemy and the rest of the coaching staff.
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