Eric Bieniemy can quiet doubters as Commanders’ new offensive coordinator

The Washington Commanders have a new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach after more than a month of searching. After a two-day interview, the team finalized a multiyear contract with Eric Bieniemy on Friday, a person close to the situation told The Athletic, landing Washington one of the league’s more decorated offensive coaches. “I’d say hire, like right now,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said in 2019, before Kansas City beat San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV. “I’m hoping he has an opportunity to go somewhere and do his thing, where he can run the show and be Eric Bieniemy.” One persistent knock is Bieniemy’s lack of full-time play-calling experience. Reid described Bieniemy as a “leader of men.” “He holds you to a high standard,” Mahomes said in 2019 as a second-year starter, “and he holds you to the standard that you need to be perfect with every single rep you get in practice.” Kansas City’s streak of seven consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins began before Bieniemy’s OC tenure, which came after he spent five years as the Chiefs’ running backs coach.