Getty Eric Bieniemy's chances of replacing Ron Rivera as Washington Commanders' head coach have been hurt by comments from his players.
The Washington Commanders need a new head coach after firing Ron Rivera on Monday, January 8, but don’t count on it being offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. At least not based on comments from two players on his unit, tight end Logan Thomas and right guard Sam Cosmi.
Thomas offered a frank assessment of what it’s been like to work with Bieniemy this season, per Ben Standig of The Athletic. The veteran admitted, “I think we had our ups and downs with (Bieniemy). I might be the only one to say it, but I think we had our ups and downs. We had some good, some bad. It’s one of those things where something new comes in after you’ve been used to something else for a couple years and sometimes you can bang heads.”
Logan Thomas on working with Eric Bieniemy this season:
Bieniemy’s difficulty relating to players has been an issue more than once since he joined the Commanders last offseason. While his tougher approach didn’t always work, the bigger issue is how Bieniemy failed to produce a more prolific offense.
Part of the problem was a lack of balance, according to Cosmi. The guard was clear, “I wanted to run the ball more…We needed more balance…please let’s run the rock,” per JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports.
Sam Cosmi: “I wanted to run the ball more…We needed more balance…please let’s run the rock.”
Comments like this hint at the uneasy fit between Bieniemy and the Commanders. That’s a worrying sign when the franchise is preparing to welcome a new staff.
Eric Bieniemy’s Future in Doubt After Ron Rivera Firing
Rivera’s departure was confirmed on Monday, via an official statement from the team. The 62-year-old was credited by owner Josh Harris with helping to “navigate this organization through some challenging times.”
We’ve parted ways with head coach Ron Rivera
While Rivera coached through the transition to new team names and from Snyder to Harris, he was expected to compete on a big level this season. Bieniemy’s arrival from the Kansas City Chiefs was the main reason for the increased expectations.
He was expected to develop young quarterback Sam Howell into an elite passer. Unfortunately, Howell was beset by a lack of consistency that engulfed the whole team.
Bieniemy has to bear the brunt of responsibility for the failures on offense. A lack of progress summed up by the modest difference in points since he replaced Scott Turner as play-caller, per Thom Loverro of The Washington Times.
The #Commanders offense under Eric Bieniemy’s direction scored 329 points this season — eight more than they did with Scott Turner in 2022.
It’s not as if Bieniemy didn’t have talent at his disposal. Talent like wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel. Thomas is a capable athlete at tight end, while Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson are both versatile running backs.
Pass-heavy gameplans wasted some members of the supporting cast. Bieniemy called just 359 rushing attempts, the fewest in the NFL.
The signs are starting to point toward Bieniemy needing to find a new team this offseason.
Eric Bieniemy Seems Set for Commanders Exit
Bieniemy’s chances of replacing Rivera appear slim. As Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano noted, “It would be hard to sell anyone from the Rivera coaching staff to the fanbase as the new franchise savior.”
There’s also the not-so small matter of Bieniemy’s demanding schedule, lengthy team meetings and gruff expressions not being well received by every player, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and John Keim.
If Bieniemy won’t get the top job in Washington, he may still be in demand elsewhere. One AFC team already considers him a potential candidate.
The 54-year-old remains a daring play-caller with one year left on his contract. He could be the right man to develop Howell’s inevitable successor, but it seems more likely a new head coach will want a fresh start with a different OC.
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Commanders Comments Hurt Eric Bieniemy’s Chances of Replacing Ron Rivera