Grant Paulsen wants to see Eric Bieniemy get an interview for the Commanders head coaching vacancy that is almost certain to materialize after this season, but he doesn’t believe Washington’s offensive coordinator will get a glowing endorsement from the players he currently coaches.
“I continue to hear that if this is up to the players, if they are counseled in any way by this ownership group, there will not be glowing endorsements by and large for Eric Bieniemy, from the guys on offense,” Paulsen said during Monday’s show on 106.7 The Fan. “That doesn’t mean I don’t think Bieniemy has done a pretty good job. I do. It doesn’t mean I don’t think Bieniemy has done an outstanding job developing Sam Howell. I do.
“I’m not sure his style works in today’s NFL as we think it might. I just continue to hear from people in and around the building that the players that are working under Bieniemy aren’t necessarily advocating for or standing on the table for him to become the guy. I think if ownership goes to those players and asks those questions, they’re not going to be suggesting that he should take over as head coach.”
Ron Rivera told reporters preseason that players came to him with concerns about Bieniemy’s intensity and coaching style, and Paulsen is hearing that those concerns have not died down months later. So, that could potentially hurt his chances of taking over as head coach.
“I think, by and large, that is the pulse from what I am gathering at this point, after a year of working with him,” Paulsen said. “I just think he’s a hard guy to play for, and I don’t know that, if ownership is meeting with players…that they’re gonna be advocating for Bieniemy.”