Eric Bieniemy’s coaching downward spiral has everything to do with accountability

Eric Bieniemy was a popular coaching candidate when he was the offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013-22. Bieniemy rose to prominence around the same time as Patrick Mahomes, despite not calling most of the plays. No, that duty belonged to Andy Reid, something he has rarely given up during the Chiefs dynastic run.

Still, Bieniemy was thought highly of (and still is) in Kansas City. Reid even brought Bieniemy back into the fold as a special assistant prior to last season's AFC Championship game. Few men know the Chiefs offense better than Bieniemy, which made it all the more surprising when he left.

Unfortunately for Bieniemy, he knew he would never receive the credit he deserved while with the Chiefs due to the prevailing narrative that Reid was the reason for their success on offense. So, he took a job as the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator in 2023, only to leave after one season. The Commanders brought in Dan Quinn, Kliff Kingsbury and Jayden Daniels, and looked much better offensively than at any point in Bieniemy's tenure.

Eric Bieniemy's coaching stops just keep getting worse

Bieniemy then coached the offense at UCLA, signing a multiyear contract. However, UCLA's offensive ranks suffered under Bieniemy, and the team finished 5-7. Bieniemy and the Bruins agreed to part ways despite his multiyear deal, with the coach's agent putting out a statement.

“Eric and UCLA mutually parted ways today as previously planned. He’s still getting paid by the Commanders. After interviewing for head coaching jobs last year, he wanted to stay active and busy. So, he decided to go help out Deshaun Foster, who is like his little brother, at UCLA as opposed to sitting out a year. The plan was always to return to the NFL in 2025, and he’s looking forward to the opportunities ahead," Bieniemy's agent, Jason Fletcher, said.

Again, Bieniemy signed a multiyear deal, so that was not 'always his intent'. His last two stops, Bieniemy has failed to impress or bring his Chiefs-level expertise to the table, and his next position is even more depressing.

Bieniemy will be the next running backs coach for the Chicago Bears. It's not a bad gig by any means, as Ben Johnson needs veteran coaches underneath him to make sure he doesn't stop out of line, or let his creativity get the best of him. Bieniemy can provide that, to some extent.

Still, it's impossible to ignore that Bieniemy has taken one step forward and multiple steps back at each of his past two stops. Now, he's a tier below where he started, despite once being considered a top-tier coaching candidate. One-year pit stops won't help his resume, nor will the excuses.