Leading media personality launches scathing attack on Eric Bieniemy

Leading media personality Stephen A. Smith won't be defending former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy anymore.

Eric Bieniemy will go down as an NFL hard-luck story to many. His sterling work with the Kansas City Chiefs saw head coaching interest from around the league through several hiring cycles. His move to the Washington Commanders was seen as another potentially huge stepping stone in pursuit of a long-awaited promotion.

As we all know, this didn't come to fruition. Bieniemy fluffed his lines. The Commanders went through yet more turmoil under head coach Ron Rivera. Perhaps more damning was the lack of offers to come in from elsewhere.

Bieniemy got one head coaching interview, which turned out to be a token gesture on the Commanders' behalf. No offensive coordinator interest emerged despite most around the league knowing how things would end for him in Washington. With options drying out, the play-caller decided to start fresh in college at UCLA.

Stephen A. Smith pulled no punches on Eric Bieniemy

Most media figures, players, and analysts have defended Bieniemy over the years. Some still do. That's not the case with Stephen A. Smith of ESPN, who seemed to wash his hands of the respected figure during a scathing attack via Outkick.

"I have spent years lamenting the state of affairs when it comes to the state of affairs as it pertains to the National Football League and Black coaches. I have spent years coming to the defense of Eric Bieniemy. Not anymore. Can’t do it anymore. When I think about Eric Bieniemy, I think about how Demeco Ryans got the job in Houston and Mike McDaniels, who is bi-racial in Miami. I think about Mike Tomlin, who has been in Pittsburgh for 17 years. Think about Todd Bowles, guys like this. I’m just looking at some of this stuff and saying to myself, What am I supposed to say for Eric Bieniemy at this point? He has been interviewed at least 15 times for 14 different head coaching jobs. And not one time has he walked away with the job. At some point in time, it has to be you."

- Stephen A. Smith via Outkick

Bieniemy decided to go out on his own, which is understandable. He could have read the situation in Washington a little better considering the prospect of Dan Snyder selling up was high upon taking the job. Once the sale to Josh Harris' ownership group became official, Rivera was a lame-duck head coach with no real long-term future.

That said, the cracks began to show. These gave a good indication as to why Bienimey wasn't given a head coaching job despite clinching two Super Bowl rings with the Kansas City Chiefs.

He's an old-school coach with high demands. He isn't afraid to read the riot act to anybody - often publicly in front of teammates. There was a stubbornness and unwillingness to alter his ways for the modern-day player. Suffice it to say, this didn't go down well with many.

Bieniemy never had full control of an offense before arriving in Washington. That task fell onto Andy Reid in Kansas City, who's widely regarded as one of the most innovative play-callers in NFL history. Again, his underwhelming first season in charge left him exposed.

There were some serious flaws in Bieniemy's schematics. His lack of balance offensively became a constant source of frustration. Throwing the football almost constantly piled way too much pressure on quarterback Sam Howell. Considering how poorly the offensive line held up in pass protection, remaining so steadfast on the passing game represents a complete lack of awareness.

Smith is right to wonder why Bieniemy's been constantly overlooked. After his first and only season with the Commanders, this picture became clearer.