The Washington Commanders thought they'd pulled off a coup of epic proportions by hiring Eric Bieniemy before the 2023 season. It ended up being a disaster of epic proportions, but two years after his inevitably early exit, he's once again at the front of the hiring cycle.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Kansas City Chiefs have requested permission to speak with Bieniemy about their potential offensive coordinator vacancy. This would be a sensational reunion with head coach Andy Reid. It also suggests that Matt Nagy could be the frontrunner for the Tennessee Titans' job.
This would represent a sensational redemption story for Bieniemy if he returned to Kansas City. It's not the same football operation he left behind, but building everything back up alongside Reid only makes this more enticing.
Eric Bieniemy is gaining buzz again two years after abrupt Commanders exit
Bieniemy got a token interview for Washington's head coaching job before the Commanders' new regime went with Dan Quinn. He wasn't kept on as offensive coordinator, with a lack of balance in the scheme and reported clashes with influential players cited as the focus behind his demise.
Instead of his phone ringing off the hook, nobody came calling. Bieniemy ended up taking a job at UCLA, but he didn't last long there. Just when all hope seemed lost, the Chicago Bears made him an offer to become the running backs coach. This is the positional spot where he began his rise to prominence, and the NFC North club has benefited greatly from his expertise this season.
The Bears' ground game has been a real strength this season. His work with the likes of D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai drew significant praise. Ben Johnson's innovative scheme helped enormously, but there is no doubt Bieniemy had a leading hand in getting a better tune out of Chicago's ground attack in 2025.
Now, a reunion with the Chiefs may be in his immediate future. Reid may be looking for familiarity during an expected period of transition for Kansas City. It's also worth remembering how much success the pair gained together before he joined the Commanders.
Bieniemy wanted to branch out on his own. He thought getting the chance to run his own show in Washington was the missing piece that would allow him to become an NFL head coach. Ron Rivera was a dead man walking, and the coordinator rubbed his players up the wrong way. That's a bad combination, and the Commanders went with Kliff Kingsbury instead.
It's taken a while, but Bieniemy is now back in the league's good graces. And the Chiefs are trying to jump the queue.