Washington Post Implies Racism At Root Of Eric Bieniemy Not Being A Head Coach, No Mention Of His Troubled Past
Teams are filling head coaching positions across the NFL. Every year, the media lists Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as being the best candidate for every job. Yet, no team has hired him.
Of course, since Bieniemy is black, the cries of racism are loud. Reportedly, several teams want to interview him for an offensive coordinator position.
That would be a lateral move, which does not make the media very happy.
There are several reasons why no team has hired Bieniemy for a head coaching gig. Some of them are football related.
John McClain appeared on OutKick 360 this week and explained how teams view the Chiefs' staff.
"Anybody who thinks running all that offense without Andy having a heavy hand on it is nuts and people in the NFL know that," McClain said. "I think the ship has sailed on Eric Bieniemy being a head coach."
Former NFL player LeSean McCoy said last year that Bieniemy doesn't relate well to players, either.
“There’s a reason why every year they hype him up to get a job and then when the time comes, nobody hires him because they know the type of coach he really is,” McCoy said. He added that the coach talks to players a “certain way.”
There are reasons beyond football why Eric Bieniemy is not an NFL head coach
So, there are the football reasons. Some people in the league believe Bieniemy needs to be an offensive coordinator for a team that allows him to calls plays.
And, those plays need to be delivered to a quarterback not named Patrick Mahomes.
Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy talks with head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the AFC Divisional Playoff game. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Those are valid concerns, but they don't encapsulate the entire picture.
Eric Bieniemy has a troubled past that rarely, if ever, gets mentioned. As an offensive coordinator -- especially for a team with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes -- he is not the face of the franchise.
Becoming a head coach thrusts people into the spotlight. And with that spotlight comes a deeper dive into who Bieniemy is and it doesn't paint such a pretty picture.
Bieniemy has been arrested at least four times. In 1989, Colorado police arrested him and Buffaloes' teammate Kanavis McGhee for getting into a bar fight.
One year later, in 1990, he pleaded no contest to a charge of shoving a firefighter. In 1993, as a member of the San Diego Chargers, he allegedly grabbed a female parking attendant and threatened her. He was arrested and had an outstanding warrant for driving without a license.
In 2001, as a member of the Buffaloes' coaching staff, suspicion of DUI led to another arrest for the embattled coach. The team penalized him by withholding one month of pay.
Washington Post talks up Bieniemy but never mentions the negative incidents in his past
The Washington Post published an article on Wednesday lauding all of Bieniemy's accomplishments as a coach. The actual link to the post is interesting, too.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/02/08/eric-bieniemy-black-coach-chiefs/
"Eric Bieniemy black coach Chiefs." Subtle.
In the article, the author goes through his coaching history, hitting every one of his stops. She even suggests that Patrick Mahomes became who he is because of Bieniemy.
"The all-time leading rusher at the University of Colorado, Bieniemy played nine years in the NFL before turning to coaching, first at a Denver high school, then at his alma mater and UCLA before the Minnesota Vikings brought him on as running backs coach in 2006," the article states.
"In 2011, Bieniemy returned to Colorado to serve as offensive coordinator, and he took the running backs coach job with the Chiefs in 2013. He was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2018 — a jump that coincided with the emergence of Patrick Mahomes."
We get an Eric Bieniemy history lesson, although with the notable absence of his arrests along those stops.
Though the writer stops short of openly blaming racism, there are hints throughout. Including this one:
"Bieniemy said the NFL is 'working in the right direction' in trying to promote diversity and create more opportunities for minority coaches and executives, such as the accelerator program it started last year. As he awaits an opportunity, he says he’ll stay true to his mantra and stay in the moment."
No, it can't be that Bieniemy's past is a problem for teams. Or, it can't be the valid concerns from a football perspective.
It must be the color of his skin.
This act from the media is getting tiresome.