Chiefs’ New OC Bieniemy Explains His Favorite Word

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In 1994, the San Francisco 49ers beat the San Diego Chargers on three occasions, including Super Bowl 29.

It was Steve Young’s monkey-off-his-back victory, but Eric Bieniemy remembers that season for different reasons. A Chargers running back, Bieniemy learned his most important NFL lesson that year, and it wasn’t in a Super Bowl loss. It was during preseason joint practices.

“When I was playing in the league, I thought I was a great finisher,” Bieniemy told Mitch Holthus and Matt McMullen on Thursday’s edition of The Kingdom. “Until 1994, we went out to practice against the San Francisco 49ers.

“You see Jerry Rice, I remember in the seven-on-seven period, he catches a slant, takes it 80 yards, jogs back. Two plays later, he may catch a pass but he scores and finishes, and jogs back. And that's when it hit me. It was like one of those moments where you realize, ‘Wow, this ain't by chance that you see Jerry Rice making all these great plays on Sunday.’ No, he learned how to make second effort a habit, because he rehearsed everything throughout the course of practice.”

Finish!

Three decades later, Bieniemy screams “finish” at players during practice, reminding them to do what Rice did that August day on the UCSD campus in San Diego. Anyone who attended a Chiefs training-camp practice in St. Joseph, Mo., will testify, Bieniemy yells his own F-word after virtually every snap.

And even if the offensive player appears down, the expectation is that he pops up and sprints to the end zone. Rice was the genesis.

jerry rioc — Jan 29, 1995; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice (80) reacts on the field with teammates during Super Bowl XXIX against the San Diego Chargers at Joe Robbie Stadium. San Francisco defeated San Diego 49-26. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

“His deal was making sure he was making those dynamic catches,” Bieniemy remembered, “but on top of that, he was finishing everything in the end zone. So that's why he was one of the best. And so, I learned that, and that has carried me throughout my career, not only as a player, but also as a coach. Because there's a lot of great players in this league, but there's not a lot of great finishers.”

Finishing was challenging to Chiefs in 2025

Finishing is a category in which the Chiefs struggled last season. Kansas City struggled to finish games arguably more than any team in the league. In a Dec. 7 loss to the Texans, for instance, the Chiefs had four offensive possessions in the fourth quarter, four chances to take a lead and dispatch Houston.

They had zero first downs and 19 total yards on those four drives. Bieniemy’s mentality should pay immediate dividends.

mahome — Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs with the ball past Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amy Kontras-Imagn Images | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

Over the course of the season, Kansas City’s offense failed with a chance to tie or take the lead in five total games, including that Houston debacle. The Chiefs threw an interception in a 28-21 loss (at Buffalo Week 9), punted after a three-and-out in a tie game of a 22-19 loss (at Denver in Week 11), blew two fourth-quarter opportunities with interceptions in a 16-13 loss (vs. L.A. Chargers in Week 15) and couldn’t convert on a fourth-down shot in a 20-13 loss (vs. Denver in Week 17).

“And so, you teach guys,” Bieniemy said, “they have to learn how to finish the process. Guys need to understand -- just like actors, they do a great job of rehearsing everything -- what they’re gonna put on tape. You got to rehearse what you’re gonna do in practice so you can put it on display come game day. And that's important. And so, that's why it's always about finishing what you do.”

What Rice did was finish his career as the NFL’s all-time career leader in the triple-crown categories: Receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895) and touchdown catches (197).

And if Bieniemy’s return helps Travis Kelce come back for a 14th NFL season, the Chiefs’ tight end could have an opportunity to finish, too. Kelce could finish as the league’s all-time career leader in postseason touchdown receptions. With 20 to his credit, Kelce needs two to tie Rice (22) on the all-time list.

Kelce, thanks in part to Bieniemy’s finish mentality as offensive coordinator from 2018-22, already owns the NFL record with 178 career postseason receptions (having surpassed the prior record-holder, Rice at 151).

The Chiefs’ tight end (2,078) needs only 168 receiving yards in the playoffs to break Rice’s postseason record of 2,245 career receiving yards.

“If you're gonna start something,” Bieniemy said, “you might as well finish it. And it's amazing. Guys need to learn how to finish. Everybody claims to be a great player. Not everyone is a great finisher.”

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