KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Another year, yet another arguably stunning result.
After interviewing with seven NFL teams in search of a head coach over the past month, Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy finds himself passed over again.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid is but one of many around the league who are surprised at the development.
“I’m glad I have him, but I’m not so glad I have him,” Reid said Thursday. “I was really hoping that he would have an opportunity to take one of these jobs.”
It didn’t happen, of course, as the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Houston Texans each went a different direction after interviewing Bieniemy in recent weeks.
Houston was the last hope for Bieniemy to land a head coaching job in the current hiring cycle, but the Texans went with David Culley, a former longtime assistant with Reid in Philadelphia and Eagles, and former Chiefs assistant, as their top guy.
Reid has remained steadfast in his vocal support of Bieniemy as a future head coach.
“I mean, you guys know what I think of him,” Reid said. “I think he’s great. I think he would be great for any of the number of teams that opened up and help them win football games and also develop men into men.”
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who credits Bieniemy for his development in the NFL as a player and person, agreed.
“It’s very shocking that he didn’t get a job,” Hill said. “I know deep down inside, like, he’s going to look himself in the mirror and say, ‘What do I have to do better so I can get that job next year or whenever the case may be?’ Because he’s that kind of dude, he wants to get better and he wants to become a head coach. So, his time will come.”
In the meantime, Bieniemy will need to wait another year for another shot at the opportunity to take over a team of his own.
When including the seven teams he interviewed with since the end of the 2020 regular season, Bieniemy has now met with a known 14 teams with head-coaching vacancies over the past three years.
Perhaps the fourth time around will prove the charm.
“His time will come,” Hill said. “I feel like everything happens for a reason, like his time will come.”
