SATURDAY, 8:10am: Bieniemy’s interview with the Saints will be on Sunday, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
THURSDAY, 6:02pm: As the Saints continue to expand their HC search, a familiar name has come up. The team wants to speak with Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.
This is old hat by now for Bieniemy, who has been on the interview circuit for a while. The four-year Kansas City OC’s inability to land a top coaching job has become a lightning rod of sorts in recent coaching carousels. A Saints interview could take place Saturday, per Fowler. Bieniemy, 52, is a New Orleans native, though he attended high school in California.
Not as much interest has come Bieniemy’s way during this cycle. Prior to this Saints request, only the Broncos were connected to the AFC West staffer. Bieniemy was not a finalist for the Denver job. Despite being the Chiefs’ OC throughout Patrick Mahomes‘ tenure as a starter, the former NFL running back has seen several non-play-calling OCs — including Nathaniel Hackett and Kevin O’Connell in this cycle — bypass him en route to HC opportunities.
The Saints have interviewed DC Dennis Allen and former staffer Aaron Glenn. Familiarity may be critical in New Orleans’ first HC search in 16 years, but outside candidates Bieniemy, Byron Leftwich, Doug Pederson and Brian Flores are also on the radar. Both Pederson and Flores have also interviewed, the latter doing so just before his class-action lawsuit against the NFL surfaced.
So, if you’re an OC but don’t call plays, what the bleep do they actually do on the sidelines?
I think that is one of the things against him and possible reason he has missed out on some HC jobs. what does he bring to the table in terms of leadership, scouting. how indepth is he with building the weekly game plan. I also think Reid hasn’t really been a huge mouth piece of support albeit publicly.
Gee don’t know what he would offer except his experience the last 4 years. The entire Chiefs roster speaking up for him. Problem is he isn’t white. See the NFL is in love with clowns like Dan Campbell, Kellen Moore, Hackett just hired in Denver. O’Connell just hired in Minnesota. The only difference is his skin color. Don’t forget Klunksbury in Arizona who HAD A LOSING RECORD IN COLLEGE.
just saying he isn’t white is too easy and not completely legitimate. Hackett has been in coaching for 20 yrs and his father coached for like 40, so obviously those connections help. O’Connell does not have the vast experience but has worked for Jay Gruden, McVay, Chip Kelly and Pettine. I’m not saying those are good hires, just that its not like they are off the street now HC. i do not like the Rooney rule and think the NFL sending a list out of who they “think” should get interviews is more bias than anything. the problem is much bigger. I think colleges are certainly at fault, also for the former players wanting to coach, position is important, a HC need to lead, know what everyone is doing and should be doing, managing game plan/plays etc. Those traits generally apply to QB, MLB, LT/Center maybe safety or secondary. Ratios for those positions early on were very white dominate. and I think should be in the conversation.
Reid and Mahomes have advocated for him. He also calls plays. The article says non-play calling OCs have gotten jobs but he hasn’t.
But he was an OC in the past
Gosh, it’s almost like there’s a lot more to being a coach than calling plays on the sidelines. Frank Reich got a head coach job without having been a play caller in his coordinator job. Same with Sirianni.
Zac Taylor went from quarterback coach straight to head coach
Same with O’Connell. Same with Hackett . . . The list goes on
Organize the game plan to have certain calls ready for the person calling the plays. They have input all week scheming it but in game day they just keep things organized. They will look at what is working and what isn’t on game day and reduce the plays in the mix. They are definitely working.
Google Eric Bieniemy. He has several legal issues including putting his hands on a female parking attendant’s neck.
These legal issues could certainly affect him being offered a ;position in the NFL as a head coach!
pretty sure those were 20+ years ago.
And therefore?
are you the same person you were 25 years ago? that incident was in 1993 and he was 24 yrs old , he is 52 now. Granted the details around that case are not a positive look and certainly pretty stupid and immature. but I think the different between 52 and 24 is significant enough for someone to mature and be a better person.
I think it’s totally meaningful I. Todays society. I mean, you’re totally right about maturing over the years. However, when everybody’s past is being dug up and placed under a microscope there never seems to be the group mentality “oh that was X years ago.” The only time it doesn’t matter is if they’re in a protected class as determined by the media.
While I agree with you on statute of limitations, people try entirely too much to use that argument for every situation, regardless of how nasty the past discretion that occurred was.
“Were you the same person you were when you were 24?”
“No, but then again, I didn’t sexually assault someone when I was 24”
I’ve even heard someone use that argument during a murder defense.
I totally agree and certainly don’t consider the incident to be overlooked. I did not read the court documents, so my comments are strictly based on a few articles I remember reading a couple years ago. I may hold the possibly of rehabilitation tona higher degree than some. I mean he could have had a crazy endorphin high off it and become a serial assaulter.
They didn’t hurt Matt Patricia.
Bieniemy is the guy for the Saints… Those other coaches are all good , but Bieniemy will bring that west coast flavor to New Orleans which is quite frankly similar… Sean Payton as great as he was- was starting to loose it, confused about what to call on certain plays and causing the saints games, like the Minnesota miracle, when Payton called time out, it caused the Saints that game, but Bieniemy will bring the “slickness” of the game to New Orleans.. Its football, use your whole roster, Sean Payton had guys on the bench he never let play, Saints got a kid over there, a power running back Devine Ozigbo, hell he never let the kid play, you need one yard, you need a power back, Hell you Got Kamara, now look for a power back… I’m telling you the Saints need to get slick on offense, the defense is cool, still need to keep beefing that up to… but slickness to the offense Bieniemy is your guy!
Yessssirrrrrrrr!!!!!!! Bienemy is the guy!
I’d like to see Bieniemy get the job just so people would shut up about him being constantly overlooked. Since the Saints are going to stink next year (cap issues/no real QB) it will be a good test of his actual coaching abilities.
I’m not sure how going to a stinko team is a good test of coaching ability. Is tying an anchor to someone a good test of their swimming skills?
That’s a dumb ass statement. There’s only a handful of top teams, 80% in the middle and 20% at the bottom. The bottom is always churning because good quality teams keep their coaches a long time. If they are a good coach with a good GM, they should be decent in 3 years and they usually sign for 5 years
Might wanna check your math up top there, Dave.
Yes
i think the reason he’s been passed over so many times is he must be terrible in that interview room.
This guy has to start feeling like Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption; sitting on that couch of questions for like the 16th time.
He’s become the NFL version of Susan Lucci who was nominated for a daytime emmy 19 times before actually getting some hardware.
OH oh, Now yesterday I was for Bieniemy assuming Byron Leftwich was already taken by Jacksonville, I understand he, Leftwich has taken himself out of the Jacksonville race, he was actually my first choice before Bieniemy, so I would go with him, I understand he will interview for the Saints job…. Leftwich I think still bring that slickness on offensive plays so, Byron Leftwich 1, and Bieniemy 2.
Wish him luck.
Actually, NOT being a play caller may work in his favor. Reid/Mahomes made some head-scratching decisions a number of times this season, not just at the end of the first half of the championship game.
You could be right there. One of the main reasons I think Bienemy should get the job is the amazing job he did with forming a new run-heavier, more conservative gameplan when everyone thought the league had Mahomes figured out.
The problem is, do you attribute that to Bienemy or Reid?
I would attribute that to both but Bienemy had to have a hand in that, right?
Hopefully his gets this position, I wonder if he just can’t interview good or just doesn’t share the same ideas and direction as the GM. This is my normally new GMs bring in guys who were previously in the same organization
Amazing how these less accomplished coaches are getting HC jobs ahead of Bienemy or Flores. I wonder what the reason is? It cant be interview because in recent memory Dan Campbell, Adam Gase, and Kliff Kingsbury got jobs and there was NOTHING any of them done before they were hired to be HC, and Campbell and Gase arent playi g with a full deck. I wish people just say they dont want their team to have a black HC and GM and move on instead coming up with BS excuses.
I absolutely love Dan Campbell as a coach though. I would be excited if I were a Lions fan – he has the team moving in the right direction.
I wonder if Andy was suddenly unable to serve as HC in KC, would the Chiefs put EB in charge or would it be Spags or possibly Toub?
About effin time this man got a chance…..