Eric Bieniemy may be the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs for Super Bowl 57, but he could end up elsewhere for the 2023 season.
The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to win their second Super Bowl title in four years, with this being the third time in which they reached the big game. Andy Reid and his coaching staff have been and continue to prepare to face a stacked Philadelphia Eagles team. Specifically, how the offense can make plays against Philadelphia’s tough defense, with a tough front seven and very good secondary.
After Super Bowl 57, however, the Chiefs could lose a key coach on their staff in offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
According to ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter, Bieniemy is a “prime candidate” for the offensive coordinator vacancies on the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens.
Why is Eric Bieniemy considering OC roles with other teams?
For those wondering why Bieniemy is considering taking another offensive coordinator position outside of Kansas City, the answer is simple — he’s a free agent.
Ahead of the official start of the 2022 league year, Bieniemy wasn’t under contract with the team, as it expired after the 2021 campaign. FanSided NFL national reporter Matt Verderame reported back on Feb. 24, 2022 that the Chiefs anticipated Bieniemy would return as their offensive coordinator and that a deal would get done. The team and Bieniemy finalized a one-year deal later that day.
Over the years, Bieniemy interviewed for a variety of head coaching vacancies throughout the NFL, but never received an offer. Now, he’s set to become a free agent, and could leave for another offensive coordinator opportunity.
The Commanders are in need of an offensive coordinator, as they fired Scott Turner after their season. Washington averaged just 330.3 yards of total offense (20th in NFL) and 18.9 points per game (24th). They are prepared to enter the 2023 season with Sam Howell as their starting quarterback, and it’s unknown whether they will make a big splash for a quarterback, whether in free agency, the trade block, or in the NFL Draft.
As for the Ravens, they opted to part ways with offensive coordinator Greg Roman after six years with the team. There are questions as to whether Lamar Jackson will be the starting quarterback entering 2023, even with the Ravens’ confidence in ensuring he’ll be with the team for the foreseeable future.
What is known is how well Bieniemy’s offenses have performed. Sure, it helps that he had Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and elite pass-catching options over the years in Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. But, Bieniemy’s offenses have never ranked outside of the top five when he was the coordinator and play-caller, as ESPN’s Field Yates points out in the tweet below:
If Bieniemy is to leave Kansas City, fans should keep an eye on Washington and Baltimore as potential landing spots.