Bengals Head Coach Rumors: Todd Monken, Eric Bieniemy to Interview for Job

The Cincinnati Bengals are reportedly expected to interview both Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken for their vacant head coaching position.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bieniemy interview is scheduled for Saturday.

The Bengals are looking to replace Marvin Lewis, who was fired after a 16-year tenure as Cincinnati's head coach.

Cincinnati is coming off a 6-10 season, and it hasn't made the playoffs since 2015 after reaching the playoffs in five straight seasons from 2011-15.

The 49-year-old Bieniemy served as the Chiefs' running backs coach from 2013-17 before being promoted to offensive coordinator this season.

With Bieniemy at the helm, the Chiefs ranked first in the NFL in total yardage and points during the regular season. They also went 12-4 and earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Under Bieniemy's tutelage, quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns, making him the leading NFL MVP candidate.

Bieniemy also has NFL playing experience, as he was a running back for the San Diego Chargers, Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles from 1991-1999.

Monken may not be as hot of a head coaching candidate as Bieniemy, but he is also sought after following a three-year stint as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator.

Although the Bucs went just 5-11 in 2018, their offense was among the NFL's best, as it ranked third in yardage and 12th in points.

Tampa Bay was also ninth in yardage in 2017.

Despite switching quarterbacks between Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick on numerous occasions during the 2018 campaign, the Buccaneers continued to be a difficult team to stop.

Unlike Bieniemy, Monken has head coaching experience, as he was the head coach at Southern Mississippi from 2013-2015, and posted a 9-5 record in 2015.

While New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels reportedly turned down an interview request from the Bengals, per CBS Sports' Sean Wagner-McGough, Cincinnati has been linked to in-house options such as Hue Jackson, Bill Lazor and Darrin Simmons, as well as Los Angeles Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor and former Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph.