Andy Reid Responds to LeSean McCoy's Eric Bieniemy Criticism
LeSean McCoy's tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs wasn't a very fruitful one. In 13 games, the former NFL running back rushed for 465 yards and four touchdowns while fumbling three times. It was arguably his worst statistical season other than his final campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and things didn't go as planned.
Now, McCoy is giving a reason why that was the case.
Oct 17, 2019; Denver, CO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back LeSean McCoy (25) warms up before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
McCoy recently appeared on Mad Dog Sports Radio's I AM ATHLETE TONIGHT podcast and discussed current Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. In a brief clip posted on Twitter, McCoy alluded to Bieniemy as the reason why he didn't play in Kansas City beyond his partial season. He also said that Bieniemy's treatment of players is why he doesn't have a head coaching job yet.
"There's a reason why every year, they hype him up to get a job and then when the time comes, nobody hires him because they know the type of coach he really is..." McCoy said.
Bieniemy, who is known for his straightforward and no-nonsense style, has interviewed for several head coaching jobs but has yet to secure one. Pillars of the Chiefs organization such as head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes have vouched for him, yet Bieniemy's chance to take the next step hasn't arrived. Reid was asked about McCoy's criticism on Thursday, and he didn't take very kindly to it when addressing the media.
Nov 1, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy look on from the sideline during the first half against the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
"Sometimes, it's hard on a veteran player that maybe their performance level isn't what it used to be, and it's hard to take sometimes," Reid said. "But he [Bieniemy] is going to push you and maximize what you've got. That's one of his strengths ... sometimes you want to hear it, and sometimes you don't."
Reid didn't stop there, although he did praise McCoy and make it perfectly clear that he has love and respect for a player he also used to coach with the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I'm a big LeSean fan," Reid said. "In my eyes, he's a future Hall of Fame running back. If you look at [it] statistically, he was tremendous. But he wasn't the youngest pup in the kennel here. He was on the back side [of his career], and sometimes that's hard to take."
To Reid's point, McCoy was indeed nearing the very end of his career when he signed with the Chiefs. His explosiveness was diminished, and his lack of ball security was a consistent issue during his time with the team. As such, he didn't dominate how he may have expected to on the field. McCoy's retirement in late 2021 closed the book on his football playing career, but his brief chapter in Kansas City was revisited by both him and Reid this week from differing perspectives.
