JP Finlay and Brian Mitchell had to react to Ron Rivera's comments about Eric Bieniemy's coaching style and the concerns that some players have, as it was the big story Tuesday.
But unlike the Junkies in the morning, or any of the beat writers who weighed in across our AM hours on either station, or even JP himself – Brian has played in the NFL and knows anything there is to know about that subject, so his opinion may carry more weight than any other you’ve heard.
And here’s what BMitch himself had to say about it:
“I come from a different generation, but Ron has to be careful when he says stuff like that, because he did a disservice to his offensive coordinator,” BMitch said. “I had coaches who were never head coaches that were the same way, but we respected them because we knew they were there to try to help us get better. Also, if the players are complaining because he is expecting them to handle their business at full speed, that means it hasn’t been done in recent years, so they’re accustomed to getting a pass.”
And that’s when Brian doubled down on something he’s said about Bieniemy all along.
“I hate the fact this narrative is being presented as the man just is yelling. You know when he yells at someone? When they screw up a play, or don’t know an assignment or line up wrong, or they aren’t hustling,” BMitch said. “What do we want as football fans? We want our players out there being professionals and doing what they’re supposed to – but now we’ve made it into a problem because someone expects it?”
Mitchell gets it if some players are a little taken aback because they're not used to it, but he knows that practice makes perfect, repetition breeds results...and Eric Bieniemy is a hell of a lot more successful with his system than the Commanders have been with theirs.
“I understand some worry, but ultimately, if you are the same coach every day, players adjust to you. If you change every day, then they don’t believe in you – and just because you become a head coach, don’t mean you stop yelling, because I know a dude up there in Baltimore who still yells,” BMitch said. “Eric Bieniemy has been in three Super Bowls and won two as a coordinator – and until one of these players go to a Super Bowl and win it, I don’t give a damn if they complain. They can complain all they want, but I’m not going to adjust what I know works – and as a head coach, you have to be a little careful making comments about guys and saying ‘he hasn’t learned yet to change and be like us,’ because a lot of people would say ‘being like us’ isn’t result-driven over the last few years.”
Take a listen to BMitch’s entire rant to open Tuesday’s show, JP’s response, and some more discussion from JP and Brian about the “issue,” in the clips above and below!
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