NFL Rumors: Latest Gossip Surrounding 2021 Head Coaching Vacancies

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy appears to be the most sought-after coaching candidate in the NFL. 

Bieniemy has been the busiest coach on the interview circuit, but one team opted not to give him a call about its opening.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Houston Texans did not submit a request with the Chiefs to interview the 51-year-old coordinator. 

Bieniemy is one of a few offensive minds gaining traction on the coaching market. Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady has been requested for interviews as well, even though he has a single year of experience as an NFL coordinator.

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Eric Bieniemy 

Schefter reported on Wednesday that Bieniemy met the with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets. 

On Monday, Bieniemy talked with the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions, and he met with the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday.

Houston may be the most intriguing spot for an offensive mind since Deshaun Watson is arguably the best quarterback on the six teams with coaching vacancies. 

If Matt Ryan and Matthew Stafford were a few years younger, the case could be made that Atlanta and Detroit should be the primary spots for a top offensive mind. 

The Texans can still reach out to Bieniemy, but for now, it seems like a mistake that they have not followed the path of the other five teams on the coaching carousel.

Bieniemy combined with Andy Reid to turn Kansas City's offense into a juggernaut. The Chiefs led the NFL with 6,653 total yards in 2020, which was over 300 more than the Buffalo Bills in second place. 

If Houston does not interview Bieniemy at all, the Chargers could be the best landing spot for him since he would have the opportunity to mold Justin Herbert into a star. Herbert showed promise by throwing for 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns as a rookie. 

Jacksonville could be an interesting spot for Bieniemy as well because he would have the chance to develop Trevor Lawrence, who is expected to be the No. 1 overall draft pick. 

Atlanta, Detroit and New York could end up as great fits if Bieniemy produces the same offensive success as he did in Kansas City.

But Houston feels like the best fit, since Watson is still 25 and would have a chance to increase his already high standing across the league with Bieniemy as his coach.

For now, it looks like the Texans are not interested in pairing their two-time 4,000-yard passer with a top offensive mind, and that decision could come back to haunt them—especially if Bieniemy lands inside the AFC South with Jacksonville.

Joe Brady

Brady is the hot young name on the coaching market. 

The 31-year-old experienced a meteoric rise as the passing game coordinator during the LSU Tigers' 2019 national championship run.

Brady was then hired by Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule to run his team's offense, and after just one year as an NFL coordinator, he is receiving interviews to be a head coach. 

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Brady was interviewed by the Falcons on Wednesday, and Houston chatted with him on Tuesday. 

Of the six teams looking for a new coach, Atlanta has the most familiarity with Brady since the Falcons saw his offense in person twice this season. 

The Panthers produced 437 total yards in their Week 5 win over Atlanta and eclipsed the 300-yard mark in their Week 8 loss to the Falcons.

If Brady receives a head coaching gig, the move would be similar to when Los Angeles Rams hired head coach Sean McVay. 

The Rams set a new trend when they hired McVay as a 31-year-old in 2017. The Cincinnati Bengals jumped on that trend by hiring Zac Taylor, who was one of McVay's assistants, as a 30-something head coach.

While Brady has achieved success in his young coaching career, he only has three years of experience inside the NFL and one as a coordinator. He spent 2017 and 2018 as an offensive assistant for the New Orleans Saints. 

Any team that hires Brady, if it happens, would be taking a risk on a bright offensive mind that may not be ready to lead his own team yet, but a team like Atlanta may view it as a chance to reinvigorate its franchise after hiring defensive-minded coaches in its last two coaching searches.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference