The Washington Commanders are once again in the basement of the NFC East and Ron Rivera appears to be on his way out. Commanders owner Josh Harris has insinuated that Rivera may not return as the head coach next season after another disappointing year.
Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been passed over for NFL head coaching jobs time and time again despite an impressive resume with the Chiefs. Could he return to college to increase his stock?
Andrew Fillipponi and Danny Parkins of the Audacy original podcast “1st & Pod” debated if Bieniemy could return to his alma mater at Colorado to be the offensive coordinator under Deion Sanders next year.
“So here’s what I’ll say about Bieniemy because he’s not getting the opportunity then to be an interim coach and prove himself over five or six games. I don’t really feel like it’s a guarantee or slam dunk that they’re going to promote him to be the head coach there and just have a continuation of the staff that’s already there with a lieutenant that takes over as head coach,” Fillipponi said (30:00 in player above). “What do you think of this idea: Eric Bieniemy as Colorado’s offensive coordinator?”
Parkins pointed out that Bieniemy could’ve taken a job like that previously rather than taking the Washington job.
“It’s not the same thing as working for Deion Sanders,” Fillipponi said. “I know they sucked and they won four games, but the way Colorado gets covered and talked about it’s almost like they’re the 33rd NFL team.”
Bieniemy has done a great job with Washington’s offense this season. Sam Howell leads the NFL in passing yards and the offensive coordinator could be next in line for the Commanders job.
That led to an interesting exchange between the hosts.
Parkins: “Why does he need to go to college to prove that he can be an NFL head coach?”
Fillipponi: “I don’t know, Danny, why did he not get an NFL head coaching job when he was the Chiefs offensive coordinator?”
Parkins: “Because Andy Reid and Pat Mahomes get all of the credit and Matt Nagy wasn’t successful. Having Sam Howell lead the NFL in passing yards is the most impressive thing Eric Bieniemy has done as a coach.”
Despite Bieniemy’s success with Howell, Fillipponi stuck by his guns that Colorado could be a better job for him overall.
“I think he’d be better off as Colorado’s offensive coordinator at his alma mater in terms of the amount of publicity and shine he’d get if they were good with Sanders’ kid,” Fillipponi said. “My God, I think he’d have an easier time coming back to the NFL as a head coach having done that than working with Sam Howell for an extra year.”
Bieniemy spent time on Colorado’s coaching staff back in the 2000s and then again as their offensive coordinator in 2011 before joining the Chiefs.
Coaching under Sanders may bring Bieniemy back.
“The Deion tide lifts all boats,” Fillipponi concluded.