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Eric Bieniemy and the Kansas City Chiefs are going to run it back, for at least one more season.
The team’s offensive coordinator of the last four seasons is returning to the team on a one-year deal, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Bieniemy’s contract with the Chiefs had expired this offseason, reportedly leaving his future in doubt until Thursday.
The return comes as Bieniemy went through another NFL head coaching carousel without finding a new job, this time interviewing with the Denver Broncos, Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints. This time, however, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Bieniemy was also considering college jobs and taking a year off.
The Chiefs had already lost their likely top choice to replace Bieniemy had he left the team, quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka, who left to become offensive coordinator of the New York Giants.
Eric Bieniemy’s Chiefs tenure four years in
Bieniemy’s tenure as Chiefs offensive coordinator fully covers Patrick Mahomes‘ tenure as starter, and the results speak for themselves, even if the team has not been without some frustrations.
In the span of four years, the Chiefs have won a Super Bowl, never won fewer than 12 games, advanced to the AFC championship every season and have ranked no lower than sixth in the NFL in points or yards per game. Of course, success like that is basically the expectation when you employ a talent like Mahomes.
This season in particular was seemingly difficult for Bieniemy and the Chiefs, starting with a tepid 3-4 start and ending with a collapse against the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game.
This was the third straight offseason in which Bieniemy seemingly had the qualifications to leave the Chiefs for a higher job. Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinators are supposed to be attractive candidates and Bieniemy has no shortage of public advocates in the Chiefs organization.
That status as a perpetual head coaching candidate has made Bieniemy a unique figure in the NFL, and he’ll apparently be doing it for one more year.
