All signs are pointing to Eric Bieniemy, the two-time Super Bowl winner with the Kansas City Chiefs, becoming the Washington Commanders’ next offensive coordinator replacing Scott Turner on Ron Rivera’s staff.
Logan Paulsen, who overlapped with Bieniemy for one season in college at UCLA before playing eight seasons in the NFL, told Team 980's Kevin Sheehan he “has a strong affinity” for Bieniemy and wanted him to get the Commanders OC job.
So why does Paulsen think Bieniemy has struggled to land a head coaching gig after several successful seasons in Kansas City and is taking a more lateral move to be Rivera’s OC?
Paulsen noted the long-rumored talking point that Bieniemy is not a good interviewer before adding, “He’s a very aggressive communicator and I know that he has a standard of speaking and a standard of perfection that is very high and he’s going to let you know about that emphatically. So I know that can – and has – rubbed some people the wrong way.
“But that’s kinda who he is and he’s never changed and I respect that about him, I love that he’s got a super high standard for the players, I love that he’s got a super high standard for himself,” Paulsen said.
Paulsen added that the offensive side of the ball in Washington could benefit from Bieniemy’s more “fire and brimstone” style of leadership and to offset it with Rivera’s “more laid-back demeanor” could be a good combination.
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“Despite some of the potential warts with Bieniemy, I think there’s a lot to be excited about, and if this is the hire, I’m excited for the team, I’m excited for Bieniemy,” he told Sheehan.
And in coming to Washington, Paulsen said he believes Bieniemy can take some of the more run-centric offensive concepts from the Chiefs’ pre-Patrick Mahomes offense to fit the Commanders’ personnel.
“He’s not gonna try and – I hope anyway,” Paulsen said, “he’s not gonna try and make this Kansas City, he’s gonna try and find what this team can do, what Sam Howell can do, how to best elevate this group of playmakers and the offensive line to create a very productive offense.”
Bieniemy wasn’t the only candidate Rivera interviewed this week as former Baltimore Ravens OC Greg Roman got his chance. When asked by Sheehan about comparing the two – Roman has more experience, is known as a guru of the run-game, and has play-calling experience while Bieniemy does not – Paulsen used a baseball metaphor.
“The safe [hire] here for Ron, it’s probably Greg Roman,” Paulsen told Team 980. “If you want to hit a home run or strike out it’s Eric Bieniemy.”
He added, “I think Eric Bieniemy feels like a home run hire at the moment, but because of the lack of experience because of all those things, it’s a little bit of a question mark while Greg Roman, he’s done it: He’s called plays, he’s installed offenses, he’s been a part of successful groups, he’s led the league in rushing. So a little bit safer, but I understand Ron if he were to go with Bieniemy because I think that’s a very exciting hire and it gets me excited just thinking about it.”
Follow @BenKrimmel and @Team980 for more.
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