After spending a year in the college football world, longtime offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy hopes to return to the NFL in 2025. A longtime staple along the Kansas City Chiefs sideline, the offensive coordinator joined the Washington Commanders in 2023 hoping to establish himself away from Andy Reid. While he had his moments with sixth-round pick Sam Howell leading the offense, the Commanders ultimately fired him and the coaching staff at the end of the season.
Still salaried by Washington, Bieniemy joined the UCLA Bruins for the 2024 season. This didn’t go well, as the team finished the season ranked 117th in the nation in total offense. While his time away from Reid ultimately hurt his stock around the league, someone should give him a chance in 2025. Maybe it won’t be as an offensive coordinator, but teams like the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints could be ideal landing spots for Eric Bieniemy.
Ravens, Saints Could Land Eric Bieniemy
After toiling under former offensive coordinator Greg Roman and his simplified passing scheme, Lamar Jackson has come alive under current offensive coordinator Todd Monken. After winning MVP in 2023, Jackson has remained one of the league’s elite passers and currently leads the NFL in PFF grade (91.7) and touchdown percentage while ranking second in EPA/play and overall passing yards. Jackson is a great quarterback and would succeed in any system, but it’s clear that Monken knows how to get the most out of the dangerous dual-threat passer.
Coaches like these earn head coaching opportunities. Everyone wants to find the next offensive mastermind to pair with a young quarterback, so Monken will probably earn a coaching opportunity in the next hiring cycle. This means the Ravens must find a new offensive coordinator, and Eric Bieniemy could be the man for the job. The offensive coordinator knows how to call plays for mobile quarterbacks and having weapons like Derrick Henry and Jackson’s mobility means he probably won’t be as pass-happy as he was with the Washington Commanders.
The Retooling Saints
The New Orleans Saints will have a new head coach next year, which means 2025’s offensive coordinator probably isn’t on the roster. Klint Kubiak has done a remarkable job during his first year in New Orleans, bringing out the best in Derek Carr and should earn head coaching interviews across the league. However, the Saints probably won’t hire him, as they chose to make Darren Rizzi the interim head coach after firing Dennis Allen. If New Orleans believed he could be a head coach, they probably would have used the remainder of the 2024 season as a glorified testing period.
Assuming Klint Kubiak finds a new home next year, the Saints must find someone to replace the promising offensive coordinator. Eric Bieniemy might not be at the top of anyone’s wish list, but the former Chiefs offensive coordinator could land the job depending on who ends up being the long-term answer in New Orleans. Some reports indicate that current Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is in the running, and he could target Bieniemy given their shared history with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Main Photo: Brad Mills – USA Today Sports
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