Eric Bieniemy returning to Chiefs as OC on one-year deal

Shortly after the NFL regular season concluded, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters he believed "this year" would be when he lost veteran offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to a head-coaching gig. That didn't happen, though, and a report surfaced Thursday that the 52-year-old would be returning to the Chiefs in his current role for at least one more season. 

There's now more information about what's next for Bieniemy both this year and potentially 12 months down the road. 

NFL Network's Jeffri Chadiha and Tom Pelissero (h/t Nick Shook) report Bieniemy is putting pen to paper on a one-year contract for the second straight season to remain Kansas City's offensive coordinator. This, theoretically, would make it easier for Bieniemy to leave the Chiefs for a better gig and pay increase next January or February. 

Bieniemy has served as Reid's top offensive assistant since 2018 and, in the process, built arguably the most impressive head-coaching resume among coordinators over that time. Most recently, the Chiefs offense finished the 2021 regular season third in total yards (396.8) and fourth in points (28.2) per game, according to ESPN stats. 

Back in the middle of January, a report poured cold water over rumors that Bieniemy has been a "bad interview" while meeting with clubs about head-coach vacancies. For yet another league year, many within the football community will be left wondering if, not when, Bieniemy's time to be a franchise's main man will arrive.