Report: Eric Bieniemy Could Take Year off After Commanders Exit Despite Chiefs Visit

After getting fired from his position as offensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders following the 2023 season, Eric Bieniemy reportedly may not coach at all in 2024.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, Bieniemy is still getting paid handsomely from the original contract he signed with Washington, so he could opt to take the year off before returning to coaching in 2025.

Bieniemy, who was previously on the Kansas City Chiefs' coaching staff from 2013 to 2022, paid a visit to his old team prior to their 17-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, per ESPN's Adam Teicher.

Graziano theorized that while Chiefs head coach Andy Reid could find a place for Bieniemy on his staff next season, he doesn't believe the visit was necessarily a precursor to Bieniemy returning.

After spending nine years as an NFL running back, Bieniemy got into coaching, starting in the college ranks before breaking into the NFL.

Bieniemy spent five years on the Minnesota Vikings' coaching staff as a running backs coach and then assistant head coach before serving as offensive coordinator at the University of Colorado from 2011 to 2012.

After Reid was named head coach of the Chiefs in 2013, he brought in Bieniemy as his running backs coach, and he remained in that role through 2017.

Reid promoted Bieniemy to offensive coordinator in 2018, and over the next five seasons, Kansas City won two Super Bowls.

Although Bieniemy was the OC in title, Reid was calling the offensive plays, which likely played a significant role in teams passing Bieniemy up for head coaching opportunities despite him interviewing for several openings.

In an apparent effort to boost his résumé, Bieniemy left the Chiefs last offseason to become the Commanders' offensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Ron Rivera.

Unfortunately for Bieniemy, he left a cushy situation in Kansas City in which he was supported by Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce for a far more tenuous environment in Washington.

The Commanders' coaching staff was already on the hot seat after going .500 or worse in each of the previous three seasons, and Bieniemy had to coach up a first-year starting quarterback in Sam Howell.

That resulted in the Commanders going 4-13 and the offense ranking just 25th in scoring with 19.4 points per game.

Rivera was fired at the conclusion of the season, and while new head coach Dan Quinn could have opted to keep Bieniemy, he hired Kliff Kingsbury as his new OC instead.

With seemingly every offensive coordinator position either filled or on the verge of being filled, taking a year away from coaching would be an understandable move on Bieniemy's part.