Chiefs Coordinator News: Spagnuolo Wants to Be a HC, Bieniemy Could Be OC Elsewhere
The Kansas City Chiefs are busy getting ready for Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles, but they also have a great deal of media obligations that lead to many other topics being talked about throughout the week. Because they're such a high-profile club with a ton of recent success, their coordinators are oftentimes connected to discussions centered around other coaching gigs. This week is no different, and it isn't just one coordinator with his name making waves.
Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who has completed seemingly countless interviews with other teams for open head coaching vacancies in the past few years, has had just one such interview this cycle. The Indianapolis Colts conducted an initial head coaching interview with Bieniemy back in January, although he didn't reportedly have a second one with the team despite multiple others going through that step of the process. With Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeting that the organization is announcing its final decision in "days," it remains to be seen exactly where — if at all — Bieniemy factors into that equation at this stage.
In a contrast from the head coaching realm, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Wednesday afternoon that Bieniemy is a "prime candidate" for offensive coordinator jobs with the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens. Both clubs have requested interviews with Bieniemy, as did the Tennessee Titans last month. On Opening Night of Super Bowl media week, however, Bieniemy spoke about his coaching prospects and said he hasn't conducted any interviews for opposing coordinator jobs. The Colts' head coaching job has been his only interview this year:
Some have speculated that departing for another offensive coordinator job could be the next-best option for Bieniemy if he can't land a position as a head coach during this cycle. The 53-year-old has manned his current post in Kansas City for five seasons in a row, helping lead a top-five offense in all of those years. After some uncertainty regarding his future with the Chiefs crept up last offseason, he ultimately returned on a one-year deal for the 2022-23 campaign. Now, as the team's season is coming to an end in just a handful of days, the conversation is beginning to heat up yet again.
As mentioned, Bieniemy isn't the only Chiefs coordinator whose name is popping up on radars this week for intriguing reasons. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who went 10-38 in three years as the Los Angeles Rams' head coach from 2009-2011 and was 1-3 with the New York Giants on an interim basis in 2017, said on Wednesday that he has aspirations of coaching in that capacity again. Adding that those who return as head coaches for a second time "tend to do it better," Spagnuolo said he currently has a good job in Kansas City if that doesn't manifest itself in the near future.
Under Spagnuolo, the Chiefs' defense has finished no worse than 16th in points allowed. In year No. 4 with him at the helm, the team fielded a multitude of rookies and improved drastically over the course of this season. The Chiefs finished second in the NFL in sacks this year, which was a testament to the offseason investment at the defensive end position but also Spagnuolo's creativity as a coordinator. No opposing teams have reportedly requested to interview him for their head coaching vacancies this cycle, but the fact that he's openly expressing the desire to be a head coach again is something worth monitoring.
SUNDAY UPDATE: Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Washington remains interested in Bieniemy and the two sides could meet following Super Bowl LVII.
