Eric Bieniemy had to cut short the allegations that he was fired by the Washington Commanders. He was the team’s associate head coach in 2023 but has moved on to work for the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).
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His coaching journey has taken him to several clubs with his most successful coming at the Kansas City Chiefs, where he won the Super Bowl twice. During his playing days, Bieneimy was an NFL running back.
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Eric Bieniemy’s Early Career
Eric was born in New Orleans, Louisiana but moved to California with his family. The former footballer attended Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, Southern California, where he participated in football. Bieniemy received the All-American honors after posting great rushing yards results.
He moved on to the University of Colorado Boulder where he became a starter for the school’s football team. He featured in the All-Big Eight Conference Football Tournament after an impressive performance, making big rushing yard scores.
In 1990, Bieniemy:
- Played in the Big Eight Conference
- Became the Offensive Player of the Year
- Won the AP National Championship
- Finished third on the Heisman Trophy list.
He still holds the record for being the all-time leader in rushing yards for the Colorado Buffaloes and won the Bert Bell Award that season.
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Eric Bieniemy’s NFL Career
After a successful college career, Bieniemy was a second-round NFL draft pick by the San Diego Chargers. Bieniemy played for the team for three years with his highest point coming in 1994, when he played in Super Bowl XXIX. Afterwards, he joined the Cincinnati Bengals and then moved to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he ended his football career.
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Coaching Career
Bieniemy didn’t stay long without a job. One year after his retirement, he got an assistant coaching job at Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver.
His next two jobs were at college-level – his alma mater, the University of Colorado Boulder and UCLA, where he worked as the Bruins football program running backs coach.
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NFL Coaching Career
Bieniemy stepped up to the big league when he took up a job with the Minnesota Vikings, becoming the team’s running back coach between 2006 and 2009. He helped the team improve its stats in this position with Adrian Peterson leading in rushing yards. In 2010, he was promoted to the assistant coaching position.
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Kansas City Chiefs
A year later, the former player returned to Colorado to work as the team’s offensive coordinator. The following year, he received an irresistible offer to work with the Kansas City Chiefs, under head coach Andy Reid, as the team’s running backs coach.
After five years in that position, he was moved to the offensive coordinator role. The results were immediate, with the Chiefs leading the league in points scored and rushing yards. Individual team impact was evident.
Patrick Mahomes also evolved to become one of the NFL’s best players, throwing 5500 yards and making 50 touchdowns, the most only behind Peyton Manning and winning the MVP honors.
Success under him continued with a Super Bowl LIV win in 2019 and a third Super Bowl title in 2022, Super Bowl LVII.
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commaders have their eyes on Eric Bieniemy and they signed him in 2023 on a two-year contract to be the team’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. His first season didn’t end well as the team finished with a 4-13 record and was the NFL’s 24th-ranked offense.
The new Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, who replaced Ron Rivera, didn’t retain him in his squad and he was forced to deny rumors that he was sacked from the team. In an email to ESPN, Bieniemy stated he left on his own accord.
Return to UCLA
The two-time Super Bowl champion was hired by UCLA as the team associate head coach and offensive coordinator. This is Bieniemy’s first college job since his last at Colorado Boulder in 2011/2012.
His presence is vital as the team’s head coach DeShaun Foster lacks coordinator experience, something he’s successfully done before. UCLA described him as one of the most innovative offensive minds in football and his beliefs matched their visions throughout their conversations.
Coach Bieniemy’s hiring takes him back to Westwood where he worked in the initial stages of his career.
Eric Bieniemy doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. He’s won two Super Bowls and has a list of achievements to show for his career. The fact that teams still find his services valuable shows he still has a lot to offer.
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