2 Things Chiefs Fans Need to Know About Eric Bieniemy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – St. Joseph, Mo., is perhaps best known for three things. As the city likes to say, it’s where the Pony Express started and where outlaw Jesse James ended.

But it also serves as the launching pad for the Chiefs’ annual quest for Super Bowls every July. And members of the media and fans who’ve attended training camp for many years will testify, since Eric Bieniemy left in 2023, St. Joe’s practices have been noticeably different.

They’ve been eerily quiet.

Chiefs just reinstated discipline

The first thing Andy Reid did when he returned Bieniemy as his offensive coordinator last week was reinstate discipline. And discipline is never quiet.

So, when a player like Jawaan Taylor lines up too far behind the line of scrimmage, Brashard Smith misses a protection call, Esa Pole blows an assignment in the shadow of the Chiefs’ goal post, or Xavier Worthy doesn’t separate from a cornerback, expect everyone to hear it from Bieniemy, loudly.

“That's why we get paid,” Bieniemy said Wednesday in his first comments since returning to Kansas City. “We're coaches, right? It's our job to come up with answers, so we got to make sure that we can give solutions to the answers and make sure that that we resolve it.

“We got a great coaching staff. Got great people, I feel like. I’m back in with the family, and so we all are very familiar with each other, so we'll sit down and figure everything out together.”

mahomes, bieniem — Feb 2, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) shakes hands with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy after a first quarter touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

An offense with an illness

The Chiefs’ offense has a lot to figure out. An anemic run game, a third-and-long rate at the bottom of the league, and a penchant for uncharacteristic penalties are big concerns. But what created the most ulcers in 2025 was simply that opposing defenses knew what was coming; the Chiefs were the most predictable offense in the league.

Enter Bieniemy, who left Kansas City on a three-year sabbatical that included a season under Ron Rivera in Washington, a year with young players at UCLA, and one of the best offensive turnarounds in recent league history with Ben Johnson and the Bears in 2025.

bieniemy, hil — Dec 3, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (R) hugs Washington Commanders assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy (L) at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Those defensive coordinators might as well delete their 2025 Chiefs film. Bieniemy made the eight-hour drive from Chicago to Kansas City on Tuesday, then got to work on breaking down those tendencies.

“I'm going to spend this time doing that, during this period,” Bieniemy said Wednesday, “just to figure out the good, the bad and the ugly, and the indifferent.

“But I'm excited about the opportunity, obviously, looking forward to getting back to work with some of these guys, and ideally just getting re-acclimated with the staff.”

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