Commanders' Eric Bieniemy Reveals 'New Outlook' in Move from Chiefs
There is a misunderstanding about what it was like to be the top assistant to head coach Andy Reid over so many seasons as Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator.
Eric Bieniemy was not their “offensive mastermind,” the power behind the Chiefs capturing two Super Bowls in the last four seasons fueled by the quarterback play of superstar Patrick Mahomes.
That person was Reid, right down to being his own play-caller. But Bieniemy - now the offensive coordinator for Washington Commanders, is no dummy. He knows he can bring Reid’s “stuff” to DC and create his own legacy.
"I'm fired up and excited. It's given me a whole new outlook," Bieniemy told ESPN this offseason.
Bieniemy not landing a head coaching job long ago has been a key NFL storyline for years, with race cited as an issue. But things change. Bieniemy came here knowing owner Dan Snyder would eventually be gone, as occurred this week. He also knows he’s in charge of coach Ron Rivera’s offense.
"When you've been in a place for 10 years, you have a tendency to take certain things for granted. This has helped me to go back and dot all the I's and cross all the T's."
The Commanders don’t have a Mahomes. This offense absent a franchise QB last year averaged a paltry 18.9 points per game.
Even with “EB,” the Commanders are relying on young QB Sam Howell - among the reasons they still seem like the fourth-best team in an NFC East division that is loaded with three playoff teams in the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.
Will the new Josh Harris ownership group will make coaching changes if things go poorly for the Commanders in 2023? Bieniemy knew that coming it but would be unwise to concern himself with that right now.
The Chiefs gave him one sort of great chance. Now the Commanders are giving him another sort of great chance. And Bieniemy’s “outlook” is understandably refreshed.
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