Enough Guessing: Eric Bieniemy Needs to Be Hired This Year
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It seems like just a year ago, NFL teams were taking turns interviewing Eric Bieniemy for their open head coaching vacancies. Even the Houston Texans, the lone team that initially didn't request an interview with the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive coordinator, caved and conducted a virtual one a couple of weeks later. Here's what Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had to say about Bieniemy back then:
“Well, listen, I think he’s top-notch. At the risk of being redundant, I have not seen many guys that are as great a leader as he is of men. And in this business, that’s huge. You’re never going to have to worry about Eric Bieniemy, never—on the field, off the field. He’s going to be honest with you and straightforward, and then he knows the offense. So, those are all important things, but to be a head coach, if you’re going to survive in this business, you better be honest with the people you deal with and you better have a plan for them. Guys want to know where they’re at and where they’re going, and most of us do. And when they don’t have that put in place, then they drift, and then that’s where teams fall apart. So, he knows how to do that part and do it well.”
In January of 2022, Bieniemy is still with the Chiefs. The process is starting again, though. As of the publishing of this article, the Denver Broncos have requested to interview Bieniemy for their open head coaching vacancy. He's currently the odds-on favorite for the Vikings' open job as well. Despite a general lack of Bieniemy buzz to round out the regular season, it's beginning to pick up one more time.
Hopefully, for his sake, this is the last time. Conner Christopherson of Arrowhead Report joined me on today's Roughing the Kicker podcast to talk about why that should be the case.
Bieniemy has done all he can as an offensive coordinator. He's coached arguably the best player in football. He's won a Super Bowl as a major driving force behind the team's success. He's answered countless questions along the way and done all of it while remaining under Reid's tutelage. There's been enough guessing which destinations could be right for him. It's time to find out whether he can coach at a high level as the man tasked with leading a franchise to success.
There's no shortage of availability in regards to open head coaching gigs. The Jacksonville Jaguars have a top draft pick at quarterback and some ammo to work with overall. The Denver Broncos have a roster that's built to win if the quarterback position gets shored up. The Minnesota Vikings aren't loaded with talent, but the pieces are there for relative short-term success. The Chicago Bears are cash-strapped and also have a young signal-caller in the ranks. The Miami Dolphins and New York Giants are both waiting to crown their next head coach, and the playoff-bound Las Vegas Raiders might join them soon. Bieniemy should continue to be courted by coach-needy teams.
Once the music stopped and the game of coaching musical chairs ended last year, Bieniemy was left without a seat. Then, it appeared to be the best shot he'd have at getting one. He has another chance this year, and it's on a team to capitalize and cash in on a coordinator who — by all accounts within the Chiefs organization — is ready to roll. Predicting where Bieniemy will end up is fine but at a certain point, he has to actually get hired.
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