Washington Commanders Hire Eric Bieniemy as Assistant Head Coach

The Washington Commanders have hired Eric Bieniemy away from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Bieniemy’s future had been the subject of speculation for several weeks, which ramped up after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl. He’s frequently been a rumored head coaching candidate, with Friday’s news putting an end to that possibility in the near future.

That head coaching speculation has also meant that media reports, unsurprisingly, blamed racism for his lack of promotion.

READ: NO, CNN, YOU DON’T KNOW RACISM PREVENTED ERIC BIENIEMY FROM HEAD COACHING JOB

While not a head coaching position, Bieniemy’s role with the Commanders will be quite substantial. He’s been simply the offensive coordinator in Kansas City, but will be “Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator” in D.C.

Deal is complete and official: Washington is giving Eric Bieniemy the title of Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. It is, in the words of one source, “a promotion in title, contractual structure, multi year, and annual pay raise.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 18, 2023

Can Bieniemy Help Washington?

The job title change, increased salary and contractural changes will almost certainly not be enough to stop racism accusations.

A much more interesting topic is what Bieniemy’s impact on the field might be for the Commanders. He was specifically praised by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid for his work with the Chiefs offense.

The Commanders obviously don’t have a quarterback anywhere near Patrick Mahomes’ level. But with Bieniemy’s input, perhaps some of their younger options may make a jump. Or he may be able to help identify a potential acquisition target as well.

It can’t get much worse for the Commanders, after yet another anemic offensive performance. The Chiefs averaged nearly 11 points per game more than Washington in 2022.

Bieniemy may not be able to have an immediate impact, given the talent gap. But if he’s able to turn the Commanders into an above average offense, it’ll be a remarkable achievement.

And while Assistant Head Coach isn’t quite the title he likely envisioned, it’s a near certainty the pay raise and contractural perks aren’t exactly a punishment.