Patrick Mahomes’ first Kansas City Chiefs mastermind was tipped to replace Andy Reid now wants NFL return
Eric Bieniemy has left his position with UCLA. The former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator had been tipped to one day replace Andy Reid as head coach, before leaving the franchise in February 2023. Bieniemy has been fired by UCLA after a poor seasonGetty He led the Bruins offense for just one season, having arrived in February 2024 after a decade in the NFL working with the Chiefs and Washington Commanders. With Bieniemy on DeShaun Foster’s staff as associate head coach and offensive coordinator, UCLA finished 5-7 this season, failing to reach bowl eligibility. The Bruins ranked 126th nationally among FBS teams in scoring and failed to put up more than 20 points in any of their final four games. Bieniemy’s firing marks a stunning fall from grace for an offensive coordinator who worked with two Super Bowl-winning teams. In 2018, he was promoted to Kansas City’s OC to succeed Matt Nagy, who had been hired as the head coach of the Chicago Bears. That year, the Chiefs were first in the NFL in yards per game and points scored, and put up the third-highest points ever in a season with 565. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also became the second quarterback in NFL history, along with Peyton Manning, to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in a season. That year, Kansas City reached the 2018 AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the New England Patriots, but bounced back in 2019 to win the Super Bowl. Mahomes, who has gone on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, credits Bieniemy for much of his success. “He will go to war with you just like any other guy on your team,” Mahomes said back in 2023. Bieniemy worked with Mahomes for a number of years in Kansas CityGetty “And you’ve got to know that. And you’ve got to know when he’s talking to you on the football field, that he’s trying to get the best out of you. He’s not trying to put you down. “He’s trying to push you to be even better than you think you can be.” Bieniemy was Mahomes’ offensive coordinator from the time No. 15 became Kansas City’s starting quarterback in 2018 until February 2023, when he left to become Washington’s assistant head coach/offensive coordinator. There, he was given full playcalling duties, something he shared under Chiefs head coach Reid. Success was harder to come by in Washington and at the conclusion of Bieniemy’s first season, the Commanders finished with a 4–13 record. His offense ranked 21st in average yards per game and he was not retained by newly hired head coach Dan Quinn, and went on to take a role with UCLA instead. Bieniemy also spent a season with the Washington Commanders, where he was given full playcalling dutiesGetty While Bieniemy’s was dismissed this week, his agent, Jason Fletcher, said in a statement that the exit was ‘previously planned’ and that ‘the plan was always to return to the NFL in 2025.’ According to The Athletic, sources close to the situation said Indiana quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri is expected to replace Bieniemy. The deal, however, has not yet been finalized. talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated ‘EndZone’ YouTube channel.
Eric Bieniemy has left his position with UCLA.
The former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator had been tipped to one day replace Andy Reid as head coach, before leaving the franchise in February 2023.
He led the Bruins offense for just one season, having arrived in February 2024 after a decade in the NFL working with the Chiefs and Washington Commanders.
With Bieniemy on DeShaun Foster’s staff as associate head coach and offensive coordinator, UCLA finished 5-7 this season, failing to reach bowl eligibility.
The Bruins ranked 126th nationally among FBS teams in scoring and failed to put up more than 20 points in any of their final four games.
Bieniemy’s firing marks a stunning fall from grace for an offensive coordinator who worked with two Super Bowl-winning teams.
In 2018, he was promoted to Kansas City’s OC to succeed Matt Nagy, who had been hired as the head coach of the Chicago Bears.
That year, the Chiefs were first in the NFL in yards per game and points scored, and put up the third-highest points ever in a season with 565.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes also became the second quarterback in NFL history, along with Peyton Manning, to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in a season.
That year, Kansas City reached the 2018 AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the New England Patriots, but bounced back in 2019 to win the Super Bowl.
Mahomes, who has gone on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in history, credits Bieniemy for much of his success.
“He will go to war with you just like any other guy on your team,” Mahomes said back in 2023.
“And you’ve got to know that. And you’ve got to know when he’s talking to you on the football field, that he’s trying to get the best out of you. He’s not trying to put you down.
“He’s trying to push you to be even better than you think you can be.”
Bieniemy was Mahomes’ offensive coordinator from the time No. 15 became Kansas City’s starting quarterback in 2018 until February 2023, when he left to become Washington’s assistant head coach/offensive coordinator.
There, he was given full playcalling duties, something he shared under Chiefs head coach Reid.
Success was harder to come by in Washington and at the conclusion of Bieniemy’s first season, the Commanders finished with a 4–13 record.
His offense ranked 21st in average yards per game and he was not retained by newly hired head coach Dan Quinn, and went on to take a role with UCLA instead.
While Bieniemy’s was dismissed this week, his agent, Jason Fletcher, said in a statement that the exit was ‘previously planned’ and that ‘the plan was always to return to the NFL in 2025.’
According to The Athletic, sources close to the situation said Indiana quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri is expected to replace Bieniemy.
The deal, however, has not yet been finalized.
talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated ‘EndZone’ YouTube channel.
