Over the past few seasons, Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been a potential target for multiple head coaching jobs across the NFL. Surprisingly though, that promotion never came for the experienced assistant.
Now, Bieniemy is reportedly the target for a head coaching job at the college level.
According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, the 52-year-old assistant is set to emerge as a candidate for the recently-opened USC job. As a former Southern California native, Bieniemy has previously said that the Trojans’ job is the only one that could entice him back into the college game.
The football world reacted to these reports on Tuesday.
Still can’t believe how many NFL teams the last two years were just like “Nah, we are good” https://t.co/6bQEBkbVYf
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) September 14, 2021
That he’s been passed over for so many NFL head coaching opportunities is an embarrassment to the league. https://t.co/mvxNeBAQ2R
— Dan Cohen (@DanCohenTV) September 14, 2021
This would be fascinating — and scary for a lot of Pac 12 teams 👀👀 https://t.co/5Ljcty1sO4
— Arielle Orsuto (@ArielleOrsuto) September 14, 2021
Embarrassing he should have to consider this. Should be an NFL head coach by now https://t.co/S7fkuvglHm
— Cody Tapp (@codybtapp) September 14, 2021
True embarrassment no NFL team has hired him as head coach https://t.co/IjIfm1N6JW
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) September 14, 2021
Very bad look for the NFL if Bieniemy decides he has to go to college to run his own shop. https://t.co/AA0wmscnvB
— Sam Mellinger (@mellinger) September 14, 2021
Biggest question would be if this is something USC wants to do in-season given timing or wait until postseason https://t.co/rlU9TO5AVJ
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 14, 2021
The good news just won’t stop coming in 😁
Bieniemy is long overdue for an NFL head coaching gig and one of the most respected names in the league
Would love to see someone like him roaming the sidelines at the Coli https://t.co/O9u0Sc91AZ
— Barstool SC (@BarstoolSC) September 14, 2021
Selfishly I wanted Bieniemy to stick around long enough to succeed Andy as the Chiefs’ head coach but always felt like that’d take too long. He’ll be great wherever he goes #ChiefsKingdom https://t.co/oHdaJNN9SK
— Connor Casey (@ConnorCaseyCB) September 14, 2021
USC AD Mike Bohn hired Bieniemy as #cubuffs OC back in 2011. The entire staff was fired by the end of 2012. Would be interesting if Bohn now hired Bieniemy as HC of the Trojans. https://t.co/uNcMlNQ4Uq
— Brian Howell (@BrianHowell33) September 14, 2021
After an embarrassing 42-28 home loss to Stanford this past weekend, longtime head coach Clay Helton was fired by the program. The call was made by USC athletic director Mike Bohn, who hired Bieniemy as the Buffaloes’ offensive coordinator back in 2011 when he was the AD at Colorado.
Bieniemy is no stranger to coaching at the college level, spending time as an assistant for both Colorado and UCLA.
This would certainly be a blow for the Chiefs, whose elite offensive unit has been led by Bieniemy for the past four seasons. That being said, most people agree that it’s time the longtime assistant gets his own head coaching job — whether that be at the college or NFL level.
For now, the Trojans will be led by interim head coach Donte Williams.
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