Former Chiefs coach who turned Patrick Mahomes into “a better player” gets a new position.
After just one season as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, Eric Bieniemy left the team and is currently the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at UCLA.
As associate head coach and offensive coordinator at UCLA, Eric Bieniemy—the guy who helped the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes become “a better player”—is expected to make the move.
The 54-year-old, who won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs during a fruitful ten years in the NFL, is making a comeback to collegiate football. Bieniemy’s game has improved, as Mahomes has previously noted, although he is frequently passed over for head coaching positions.
Bieniemy was recently interviewed for the Washington Commanders head coaching position; however, Dan Quinn was selected for the role. Still, he’s eager to begin his new position at UCLA, which will be his first in a collegiate football position since he left Colorado in 2012.
“Southern California,” Bieniemy wrote in an email, as seen by ESPN. “I attended high school there. I started my career in the league here (with the Chargers). It’s obviously great to be back with the Bruins, where I was previously employed.”
Before becoming a coach, Bieniemy played in the NFL as a running back. He was drafted by the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Charges in 1991 and also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles. His coaching career began at Thomas Jefferson High School.
Bieniemy returned to his alma mater, coaching running backs at Colorado and UCLA before taking a similar position with the Minnesota Vikings. He was hired by the Vikings as an assistant head coach and then worked for Colorado.
In 2013, he began mentoring the Chiefs’ running backs, and by 2018, he was leading play-caller. He had two Super Bowl victories with the Chiefs.
Bieniemy moved to the Commanders to help head coach Ron Rivera as their offensive coordinator, but they both left after a tough season in 2023. Now Bieniemy is going back to college football with UCLA.
Mahomes has spoken very highly of Bieniemy in the past. The coach came under fire last year when Rivera suggested he was too intense in training, comments he later backtracked on. Yet Mahomes was keen to defend Bieniemy.
When questioned, Mahomes warned reporters, “EB is going to be harsh on you.” “Every day, he will strive to bring out the best in you. I became a better player as a result of him holding me accountable even when I didn’t want to.”
Currently a three-time Super Bowl MVP, Mahomes continued, saying: “I believe the most important thing he said was that he is your number one supporter. You must understand that he will fight with you in the same manner as any other member of your team.”
Leave a Reply