Eric Bieniemy hired as Chicago Bears running backs coach

Former Colorado standout returns to NFL after a short stint back in college

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Eric Bieniemy is back in the NFL, returning to his roots as a running backs coach with the Chicago Bears. After spending the past two years as an offensive coordinator—first with the Washington Commanders in 2023 and then with UCLA in 2024—the former Colorado standout is taking a step down the coaching ladder but landing in a role where he has historically thrived.

Bieniemy’s coaching career has been marked by his expertise in developing running backs. Before his rise to an offensive coordinator role, he spent years molding talented backs, most notably during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2013 to 2017.

During that period, he worked with elite backs such as Jamaal Charles and Kareem Hunt, helping the Chiefs establish one of the league’s most productive rushing attacks. His success as a position coach helped him earn the offensive coordinator job in Kansas City, where he played a role in developing Patrick Mahomes and winning two Super Bowls.

However, after leaving the Chiefs in 2023 to take on more responsibility as Washington’s offensive coordinator and assistant head coach, things did not go as planned. The Commanders struggled offensively, and when Ron Rivera was fired, Bieniemy was also let go. His stint as UCLA’s offensive coordinator in 2024 also ended after just one season, leading him back to the professional ranks.

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Now, he joins Ben Johnson’s new staff in Chicago, where he will once again focus on running backs, a position he knows inside and out. The Bears have a young backfield led by Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson, and Bieniemy’s experience could be invaluable in helping them develop into key contributors in Johnson’s offensive system.

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While this may seem like a demotion, it could also be an opportunity for Bieniemy to rebuild his reputation in the NFL. If he can get Chicago’s running game going and help the offense flourish, he could find himself back in consideration for a larger role in the future. For now, though, he returns to doing what he does best, which is coaching running backs at the highest level.