Andy Reid shares high praise for Bears RB coach Eric Bieniemy and what he can bring to Chicago during NFL league meetings
When the Chicago Bears opened the check book to bring in head coach Ben Johnson, the organization didn't close the book after landing the biggest fish in the pond to sit in the big chair.The Bears finally learned that there is no salary cap on assistant coaching hires and a head coach is only as […]
When the Chicago Bears opened the check book to bring in head coach Ben Johnson, the organization didn't close the book after landing the biggest fish in the pond to sit in the big chair.
The Bears finally learned that there is no salary cap on assistant coaching hires and a head coach is only as good as the staff surrounding him.
So, after landing Johnson, the Bears used even more money to help build a star-studded coaching staff around the first-time head coach with assistants such as former head coach Dennis Allen and rising coaching stars such as Antwaan Randle-El, Al Harris, and more.
But, the most important, and underrated hire, Ben Johnson made to his staff was running backs coach Eric Bieniemy. During his coaching career, Bieniemy has literally reached the highest of highs and lowest of lows, meaning he brings a wealth of experience to the table.
As a running backs coach, Bieniemy got his start in the NFL working with the Minnesota Vikings and uber-talented running back Adrian Peterson. As a former NFL running back himself, Bieniemy quickly established himself as a strong leader and someone who could relate easily with his players.
His coaching career skyrocketed after joining Andy Reid's staff with the Kansas City Chiefs in the same role before working his way up to offensive coordinator in 2018. As Reid's right-hand man on offense for five seasons, Bieniemy helped lead the team to three Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl titles.
On Monday, while speaking with reporters at the NFL League Meetings, Reid shared high praise for his former coordinator while also mentioning what Bieniemy is going to add to Johnson's staff in Chicago.
"He’s the best at a lot of things. He was a great OC, great running back coach. He can coach, really, any position," Reid explained via Herb Howard. "They’re lucky to have him. He’s a tremendous leader. One of the best leaders (I’ve ever been around)."
Bieniemy is such a key asset to have on the staff in Chicago. He has a strong offensive mind and his work in the RB room is going to do wonders for the Bears rushing attack.
Beyond that, over time, he has the ability to rise even higher on the staff in Chicago. Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is a fast rising candidate set to enter into the biggest role of his young career and could one day be poached by another team if all goes well with the Bears offense. Bieniemy would be an easy in-house promotion.
"It good having the opportunity to work collectively with some of these young coaches," Bieniemy explained on the Bears, etc. Podcast, an official podcast of the team. "We got some brilliant minds, some very very creative individuals. I'm just looking forward to us getting everything established, making sure that we get everything on the same page, which we are, and just ironing out all the details…
"It's not about all the collective brains. It's about making sure that we can hammer it down so our guys can go out there and be as efficient and effective as possible."
That, of course, starts with having high expectations and a high level of accountability with the players in the locker room. Given his background, that's something Bieniemy will be able to bring to this staff as well, and some of that has already started.
It's great to hear this kind of energy and high praise for a respected assistant coach in Chicago.
