No matter what occurs in sports, players will sometimes have a tremendous rise and fall. The same could also be applied to NFL coaches who have fallen from grace. However, there is one NFL coach who has had a tremendous fall from grace in the last few years: Eric Bieniemy.
Eric Bieniemy was once seen as the NFL’s top head coaching candidate. After all, he was the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs from 2018-2022. He was the OC that helped spark the Chiefs dynasty and, with his play calling, helped the Chiefs with two Superbowls (LIV and LVII). Bienemy even had a good coaching resume, having had previous tenures with the Vikings and Colorado University. He was expected to get a head coaching role or even replace Andy Reid whenever he chose to retire from the NFL.
However, Bieniemy decided to do a power play move where he left Kansas City to go to Washington. He got no offers and felt he had more opportunity to coach the Commanders than he did with the Chiefs. It was like a lateral move to broaden his experience, and he got a head coaching job.
Well, going to Washington is where his downfall began. The Commanders’ offense didn’t get better with Bieniemy calling the plays; in fact, it got worse. The Commanders ranked 25th in scoring and 24th in yards, worse in both areas than the previous season. The commander even finished the year with a 4-13 record.
What also didn’t help was the change in ownership. The absolute disgrace known as Dan Snyder finally sold the team, and with new ownership, staff changes were immediate. When Ron Rivera got fired, and Dan Quinn came in, it was over for Bieniemy in Washington. Quinn immediately didn’t retain him, and Bieniemy was out of a job.
Bieniemy didn’t get hired in the NFL afterward and decided to return to UCLA to coach. Before Bieniemy joined the NFL he was the running back coach for the University from 2003 – 2005. With his connection to UCLA, he was hired as the offensive coordinator. It was a tremendous opportunity for Bieniemy, but it was a disaster. With Bieniemy calling the plays in UCLA, the offense was one of the worst in not only NCAA but in the university’s history.
I mean, to go from one of the elite offensive coordinators and highly sought-after coaching candidates to out of a job is quite the fall from grace. Heck, even the major sports media names have turned on Bieniemy. They have washed their hands of giving excuses for him. When Stephen A Smith himself admits that he can no longer defend him, that’s pretty telling.
Now is it the end of his coaching career, No. Bieniemy should be hired as a positional coach in the NFL or NCAA. However, his days of becoming an NFL head coach are long gone from where he was a few years ago; it’s quite a fall from grace.
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