What happened to Eric Bieniemy? Why did 2x Super Bowl champion leave NFL?

Eric Bieniemy made a mark in the NFL over the past few years. As the offensive coordinator of the Kansas City Chiefs, he played an instrumental part as Patrick Mahomes led the franchise to two Super Bowl wins between 2018 and 2022, while also participating in a third one.

Bieniemy, however, did not earn a head coach job throughout his stint in Kansas City. He had plenty of interviews but still was not hired by any franchise. As such, he moved away from the Chiefs, trying to prove himself in a different setup and build his resumè even more.

Two different stints with the Washington Commanders and UCLA bore no fruit in helping him lead an NFL franchise. He has now officially returned to the league but in a different capacity.

What happened to Eric Bieniemy?

The former Chiefs offensive coordinator officially signed as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears. He'll work directly with D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson, the two players with a contract signed for the 2025 season.

Bieniemy will work with Ben Johnson's staff. He brings experience to the Bears' offense and knowledge from his work with three-time Super Bowl winner Andy Reid. Johnson, who previously was the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, has no experience as a head coach in the league.

Why did Eric Bieniemy leave the NFL?

Even though the Chiefs had one of the best offenses in the league, NFL analysts debated over the start of the decade if his job was made easier by working with Mahomes and Reid. He was not the play caller in Kansas City, and this hurt his chances of getting a head coach job.

When he moved to Washington in 2023, the expectation was that calling plays and leading a good offense could finally see him earning a head coach job. He was also the assistant head coach for the Commanders in 2023;

But the Commanders had one of the league's worst offenses, scoring the 8th-fewest points in 2023. Washington's coaching staff was fired after the season, with the franchise's ownership also changing hands. He was not retained, and moved to college football in 2024, returning after a year.