Panthers, Giants ask to interview Chiefs’ Eric Bieniemy for head coaching jobs
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is once again a wanted man.
The Carolina Panthers and New York Giants have submitted a request to the Chiefs to interview Bieniemy this week for their vacant head coach position, NFL Network and ESPN reported.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the media Monday and essentially confirmed the reports when asked about them.
“If it was over like a Po-Boy, I would tell you that you’re probably heading in the right direction,” Reid said with a grin.
Reid’s relationship with Bieniemy is strong, evidenced from Monday’s glowing remarks.
“You guys know how I feel about Eric,” Reid said. “I think he’d be tremendous. There’s a team out there — I don’t know the team — but there’s a team out there that could really use him being the leader of men that he is.
“You’re not going to find people better than that in that category, and then he’s a sharp offensive mind on top of that. I’m a big fan. I don’t want to lose him, but reality is there’s a good chance that happens.”
Reid has remained steadfast in his endorsement of Bieniemy, who is in his second year as the Chiefs offensive coordinator, as being ready to take on a head coach role.
“I’d say hire him, like right now,” Reid said on Dec. 4. “That’s what I’d tell you. I don’t want to lose him, but if you’re asking me if he’s ready to be a head coach? Yeah, he’s ready. He was ready last year.”
NFL teams are allowed to request interviews with assistant coaches on a first-round bye in the playoffs, a scenario that applies to Bieniemy. The interview, though, occurs during the bye week and must be accomplished in the coach’s home base.
Widely regarded as a rising star, Bieniemy interviewed with the New York Jets last January. According to reports at the time, he also had interviews with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins.
The 50-year-old Bieniemy, a former NFL running back, entered the NFL coaching ranks as a running backs coach with the Minnesota Vikings from 2006-10.
He joined Reid’s staff in Kansas City in the same position in 2013 before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2018 to replace Matt Nagy, who became the head coach of the Chicago Bears.
In Bieniemy’s two seasons as the Chiefs offensive coordinator, Kansas City’s offense has ranked among the league leaders in numerous statistical categories, including total yards, points per game and passing, among other areas.
“Nobody is in more control than what he is within this game,” Reid said in early December. “He is a leader of men. He knows football, but he knows the offense like the back of his hand.
“He is in the quarterback room every day. I think if you talked to Patrick (Mahomes), I think Patrick would tell you how much of an influence he has had on him.”
Reid’s coaching tree is extensive, with Nagy and Doug Pederson as recent well-documented examples of assistants moving on to head coaching positions. The Panthers previously fired Ron Rivera, who served on Reid’s staff as a linebackers coach with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2003).
Should Bieniemy join the head coaching ranks, current Chiefs quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka is a logical replacement for Bieniemy.
This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 8:34 AM.
