Former Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy’s intensity a new experience for Washington Commanders
On his “New Heights” podcast, tight end Travis Kelce detailed life in Chiefs training camp under coach Andy Reid.
Let’s just say this about a typical day at Chiefs camp: It’s intense, and Reid uses every minute he’s allowed under union rules.
“Even Patty Mahomes said it: ‘If you can get through Andy Reid’s training camp, then you’re gonna be able to get through the NFL season,’” Kelce said in the episode, which aired two weeks ago.
Kelce also talked about former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s, um, passion at camp.
“I can just hear Bieniemy screaming at me my first couple of years: ‘We have to be able to run the ball when they know we’re running the ball,’” Kelce said with a laugh. “Just like, can we run another play? Just run a different play. I don’t like this one when they know it’s coming.”
It seems Bieniemy has brought that intensity to his new job with the Washington Commanders. And players apparently expressed some concerns.
Commanders head coach Ron Rivera was asked by the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala if the players had struggled to adapt to Bieniemy’s coaching style as offensive coordinator.
“Yeah, they have,” Rivera said. “And one of the biggest things is — I had a number of guys come to me and I said, ‘Hey, just go talk to him.’ I said, ‘Understand what he’s trying to get across to you.’ I think as they go and they talk and they listen to him, it’s been enlightening for a lot of these guys. I mean, it’s a whole different approach. Again, you’re getting a different kind of player from the players back in the past, especially in light of how things are coming out of college football. So a lot of these young guys, they do struggle with certain things and a lot of it ... that is from where they’ve been. I mean, guys coming from certain programs are used to it. Guys coming from other programs aren’t as much.
“So us as a coach, I kind of have to assimilate and get a feel for everybody. Eric has an approach and it’s the way he does things and it’s not going to change because he believes in it. Jack (Del Rio, defensive coordinator) has his approach. Having been a head coach. I think Jack has a tendency to try to figure guys out a little bit more as opposed to, ‘Hey, this is it. This is the way it’s going to be,’ that type of stuff. Eric hasn’t had that experience yet.”
Rivera was asked if players had come to him because Bieniemy was “riding them too hard.”
“Well, um. They just were a little concerned,” Rivera responded.
Bieniemy also spoke to media on Tuesday and, per Jhabvala, explained his coaching philosophy.
“Yes, I am intense, and I would be afraid too at the start if I didn’t know it,” Bieniemy said, per Jhabvala. “But I’m always upfront and I’m always honest. ... I expect us to be the team that we’re supposed to be. It’s not going to be easy, but everybody’s not going to like the process.”
He continued.
“I’m proud of these guys,” Bieniemy said. “I’m always going to be loud, and I’m always going to be vocal. I’m always going to demand from our leaders. ... I want our guys to clearly understand that we’re not taking anything for granted.”
This story was originally published August 8, 2023 at 11:12 AM.
