We started 2021 with seven head coaching vacancies in the NFL. As of today, six of the seven have been filled, the only remaining team being the troubled Houston Texans. This means that Eric Bieniemy, the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, could be blanked again.
This afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Eagles would be hiring Colts’ offensive coordinator, Nick Sirianni, as their new head coach, replacing Doug Pederson, who was fired earlier this month.
This hire had the Twittersphere up in arms because Bieniemy was passed up yet again for a head coaching position.
“It’s always good to be mentioned and having an opportunity to pursue your dreams,” said Bieniemy Thursday. “And obviously, yes, I want to be a head coach. But when it’s all said and done with, my job is to make sure everything that we’re doing right now is not to take away the goals that we’re trying to accomplish. … We want to make sure that we’re getting our guys ready to make sure they can take care of business on Sunday.
“My own personal business, when all that’s time to take care of itself, that will take care of itself.”
The problem is that time keeps passing and his personal business is being taken care of by the failure of team after team to give him a shot at a head coaching position.
The excuses have seemed to follow him around, from not interviewing well to not being the one calling the plays for the Chiefs. But the latter has been debunked by the Kansas City Star which used the head coaching hires of the Detroit Lions and the Eagles as evidence.
“He’s been critiqued for not being the Chiefs’ primary play-caller, a duty that falls to head coach Andy Reid, but the latest two NFL hires would seem to debunk that being some sort of disqualifier. The Detroit Lions hired Saints tight end coach Dan Campbell, who did not have those responsibilities, and Sirianni did not call the plays in his duties as the Indianapolis Colts’ offensive coordinator.”
While teams appear to be targeting younger head coaches in the mold of Sean McVay, experienced and talented Black coaches continue to be overlooked. These are men such as Jim Caldwell, Marvin Lewis and Anthony Lynn, former head coaches who have career winning records.
Bieniemy has the talent and experience for a head coaching position. Even better, he has a Super Bowl-winning head coach, his boss, supporting him.
“Whoever gets him, I think, is a very lucky organization. One of the few people I’ve come across with the leadership skills that he has (and) the ability to lead men in this crazy game that we’re in and for those guys through his leadership to play at the Pro Bowl.”
Houston, it’s up to you.
