Reporter discusses Eric Bieniemy leaving NFL for UCLA

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated explained how former Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy becoming associate head coach and offensive coordinator with the UCLA Bruins shows "how the league sees" Bieniemy at this stage of his career. 

"He never really changed the way he did things," Breer said about Bieniemy. "He didn’t give special treatment to star players, and he was tough on everyone, both from an hours standpoint and in what he would ask of the people in the huddle. Bieniemy could also be a bit stubborn in how he copy-and-pasted (Chiefs head coach) Andy Reid’s offense (based to feature the tight end) in Washington. And the coordinator was not as forthcoming with the why behind his scheme, which is something players now often want."

Bieniemy helped quarterback Patrick Mahomes guide the Chiefs to a pair of Super Bowl titles while serving as Kansas City offensive coordinator from 2018 through the 2022 season, but the 54-year-old never received a head coaching job amid whispers claiming he performed poorly during interviews with other teams. 

It had been rumored as far back as December 2021 that Bieniemy and Mahomes developed some friction during their relationship, and Bieniemy became assistant head coach and offensive coordinator with the Commanders in February 2023. 

It seemingly didn't take long for Bieniemy to rub some Washington players the wrong way due to his alleged "intense" nature during practices. Mahomes insisted this past August that Bieniemy "made me a better player," but new Washington head coach Dan Quinn declined to retain Bieniemy this winter. 

"From an in-game standpoint, there was also how quickly Bieniemy would stray from the game plan when the Commanders fell behind, something that would frustrate players and coaches alike—with the offense sometimes running sovereign to the rest of the operation," Breer added. "All of this is part of what followed Bieniemy, from a reputation standpoint, into the offseason. Some believed it would lead him back to Kansas City, perhaps in some sort of senior role. But that may have been a bit awkward, and this, honestly, might be what’s best for Bieniemy’s career anyway."

Bieniemy could improve his standing in NFL circles via a successful stint at UCLA en route to earning a return to the league as soon as next offseason. If that doesn't happen, he could go down as one of the more curious "what if" stories regarding individuals who never received a chance to become a head coach at the highest level for even one season.