Eric Bieniemy Returns to Kansas City: A Familiar Voice, A Fresh Perspective
Eric Bieniemy is back in Kansas City, and while the title remains the same - offensive coordinator - the coach returning to the Chiefs’ sideline brings with him a broader perspective, sharpened tools, and a renewed sense of purpose.
After a decade with the Chiefs from 2013 to 2022, including five seasons as OC and a Super Bowl LVII ring to show for it, Bieniemy took the scenic route back to Arrowhead. Stops in Washington, UCLA, and most recently Chicago gave him a chance to stretch his coaching muscles beyond Andy Reid’s system - and he’s coming back with more than just a few new play designs in his back pocket.
“I’ve had an opportunity to learn a few things,” Bieniemy said during his first media session since rejoining the team. “I’ve opened my mind to different ways of seeing the game.”
That openness is key. In his time away, Bieniemy wasn’t just calling plays - he was building systems, leading staffs, and learning what it’s like to be the primary voice in the room. That experience, especially in Washington and UCLA, forced him to refine how he communicates and gets buy-in from players and coaches alike.
“When you’re doing it on your own, you’ve got to find creative ways to implement a system,” he explained. “You learn a lot about yourself - the good, the bad, and the ugly.”
That self-awareness matters now more than ever. The Chiefs are coming off a 6-11 season, one of the most disappointing campaigns of the Patrick Mahomes era.
The offense, once a juggernaut, sputtered down the stretch. The spark was missing.
Bieniemy’s return isn’t just about nostalgia - it’s about reigniting that fire.
He’s not rushing the process. Bieniemy acknowledged that after finishing the season with the Bears as their running backs coach - a unit that quietly ranked fourth in the league in expected points added (EPA) per rush, per NFL Next Gen Stats - he’s still in the early stages of breaking down what went wrong (and right) in Kansas City’s 2025 campaign.
“I really haven’t had an opportunity to dig in and really study it like I want to,” he admitted. “But I’m going to spend this time figuring out the good, the bad, the ugly, and the indifferent.”
One area where Bieniemy’s presence could be felt immediately? The run game.
Kansas City’s ground attack was inconsistent last season, and Bieniemy has spent the last three years immersed in various run schemes across college and pro levels. Now, he’ll team up again with Reid and offensive line coach Andy Heck to get that part of the offense humming.
“With Coach Reid, we’re going to figure out the things we need to do moving forward,” Bieniemy said. “We’ve got one of the best O-line coaches in the business in Coach Heck. He does an outstanding job with those guys up front.”
Bieniemy isn’t promising a revolution - he’s promising a return to the fundamentals that made Kansas City’s offense so feared in the first place, with a few new wrinkles added in.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to make sure we’re doing what’s best for us moving forward,” he said. “That’s the plan.”
But maybe the most important thing Bieniemy brings back is accountability. Since his departure, there’s been a sense - fair or not - that the Chiefs lacked a strong, consistent voice in the offensive room. Bieniemy has never been shy about setting a high standard, and he made it clear that hasn’t changed.
“There’s a standard of performance. There’s a standard of excellence that will be expected,” he said. “We will still be disciplined in detail in everything in how we handle our business.”
That doesn’t mean he hasn’t grown. Bieniemy spoke about how his time away helped him evolve - not just as a coach, but as a leader.
“I’ve learned a lot over the years,” he said. “The thing that I appreciate is it’s helped me grow into this role and have this opportunity to be in this situation again.”
And now, he’s back where it all began - not just to relive past glory, but to build something new. The Chiefs may have stumbled last season, but with Bieniemy back in the fold, there’s a sense that the offense is ready to rediscover its identity.
Day 1 is in the books. Day 2, 3, 4, and beyond? Bieniemy’s ready to hit the ground running.