Travis Kelce: Commanders ‘Getting a Dog’ in Eric Bieniemy
The Kansas City Chiefs' loss of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will be the gain of the Washington Commanders, according to future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce.
After failing to get a head coaching job for multiple cycles, Bieniemy departed Kansas City for Washington this offseason. Though he'll still have the title of offensive coordinator, Bieniemy will step out of the shadow of Andy Reid in Kansas City and call plays for Ron Rivera and the Commanders. Kelce says that the elite preparation of Bieniemy will be a major advantage for the Commanders:
“Oh yeah, baby, you guys are getting a dog,” Kelce said of Bieniemy on Pardon My Take. “A dog. He’s a dog. He’s gonna fire up that team. I think he’s awesome for the core group of guys you’ve got. I’m sure you can ask Logan Thomas a few things since he’s had his little offseason with him so far. But I think what Bieniemy does better than a lot of coaches is he’s very organized. He’s gonna make sure guys know what they’re doing.”
Of course, Kelce won't be lining up at tight end for the Commanders, nor will Patrick Mahomes be taking the snaps at quarterback. There was nowhere that Bieniemy was going to go after Kansas City that wouldn't have been a downgrade in that regard.
With that said, there's still quite a bit to like on Washington's offense. Receiver Terry McLaurin has 4,281 receiving yards in four NFL seasons, despite almost no stability at the quarterback position. Second-year receiver Jahan Dotson had some flashes of looking like an explosive playmaker in his rookie season. Plus, Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson will be an interesting tandem in the backfield.
Obviously, Washington's season -- and perhaps the fate of Rivera's entire staff -- will come down to whether Sam Howell looks like a potential franchise quarterback in Bieniemy's system. If Howell takes a major step forward in his second season, Washington could contend for a playoff spot and Bieniemy might finally get a shot to lead a team. How many years do people that will one day have busts in Canton have to lobby for you before an organization finally listens?
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