Colts Interviewed Chiefs’ Eric Bieniemy for Coaching Job, Jim Irsay Says

Owner Jim Irsay confirmed the news on Thursday.

Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been floated as a potential head coaching candidate for years, but has yet to land an opportunity to lead a franchise. With Kansas City poised to make another run at a Super Bowl, he is once again gaining attention from teams with coaching openings, including the Colts.

On Thursday, Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay tweeted that the team had just finished an interview with Bieniemy as the team begins to find its full-time replacement for Frank Reich, who was fired during the season. The Bieniemy interview came after those with Colts special teams coach Bubba Ventrone and Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, another assistant gaining steam across the league.

Team owner Jim Irsay announced the Colts have interviewed Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy for their head coaching job pic.twitter.com/hXsDXfgOH2

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 13, 2023

Bieniemy has been with the Chiefs since 2013, starting out as running backs coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018. In that time, under coach Andy Reid, he’s overseen one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL, and was at the helm of the offense in the team’s win at Super Bowl LIV. 

The 53-year-old former Colorado star also coached at his alma mater in 2001 to ’02 and again in 2011 to ’12, and held roles at UCLA and with the Vikings.

Indianapolis fired Frank Reich after a 3–5–1 start to the season, making the unconventional move to replace him with Jeff Saturday, the former center who had been working as an analyst for ESPN, as interim coach. Saturday posted a 1–7 record, and the team finished at 4–12–1 overall.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, are tied for the best record in the NFL at the end of the regular season at 14–3, and have a bye to the divisional round as the AFC’s No. 1 seed.