For five seasons, Eric Bieniemy worked as the Chiefs offensive coordinator alongside head coach Andy Reid.
After winning a second Super Bowl as OC and being passed over in another head coaching cycle, Bieniemy has now departed Kansas City to become Washington’s offensive coordinator. The move gives Bieniemy the opportunity to fully run a team’s offense, given that he’s now working for a head coach in Ron Rivera with a defensive background.
In an interview this week with 106.7 The Fan in Washington, Reid said that heading to the Commanders gives Bieniemy the “opportunity to run his show.”
“I’m not telling you I wanted to lose him to Washington, but at the same time, you want what’s best for your guys,” Reid said. “And so, EB’s had a ton of interviews here for head coaches. He’s worked his tail off to have that opportunity to be a head football coach in the National Football League, and it didn’t work out, and some of it was because of the shadow that I think I cast. And we talked about it.”
Rivera was also once an assistant coach under Reid and the two have remained close. Reid said he also talked with Rivera about what the opportunity could mean for Bieniemy — which basically comes down to Bieniemy getting away from Reid.
“That way he puts his name on it. No more Andy Reid on the side,” Reid said. “It’s all about EB and he deserves that opportunity. Most of all, he deserves that opportunity. And he’ll work great with Ron. Ron’s phenomenal. He’ll work great with Ron. They’re two different personality types, but both of them love ball and both of them can teach, and that’ll be a big thing.”
Reid added that Commanders “need some juice” and Bieniemy will provide that.
“He loves his players, that’s what’s the most important thing,” Reid said. “And he’s gonna tell them when they do good, he’s gonna tell them when they’re not doing good, and he’s gonna teach them how to do better when they screw up. I think every player wants that and that’s the way he operates.
“And he’s gonna come at ya, he’s gonna challenge ya. I mean that’s healthy. Nothing wrong with that. The guys, they have to understand that he wants to give everybody an opportunity to be great. And if he can do that, if he can present it that way and the guys are willing to accept that and actually try to be great, not just talk about it but try to be great, then you’re gonna win a lot of games.”