Commanders Coach Ron Rivera Clarifies Comments About Eric Bieniemy’s Intensity

Players have apparently struggled getting used to their new offensive coordinator.

Commanders coach Ron Rivera revisited his Tuesday comments on Wednesday morning when discussing complaints from players regarding new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. 

“I realized my comments yesterday took on a different life than I intended,” Rivera said. “And that’s on me for not being as clear as I needed to be. I’ll own that.”

Rivera went on to explain that a lot of players on offense have been “uncomfortable” and there’s “been a lot of change” but said that the team has improved as a result. He also addressed his comments comparing Bieniemy to defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, saying that he and Bieniemy have spoken since. 

“I did not communicate that correctly,” he said Wednesday. 

Initially, Rivera’s comments evoked some head-scratching responses from fans when he said that players have struggled with the new OC’s intensity. 

“I had a number of guys come to me and I said, ‘Hey, just go talk to him.’ I said, ‘Understand what he’s trying to get across to you.’ I think as they go and they talk and they listen to him, it’s been enlightening for a lot of these guys,” Rivera said Tuesday. “Eric has an approach and it’s the way he does things and it’s not going to change because he believes in it. Jack [Del Rio] has his approach. Having been a head coach, I think Jack has a tendency to try to figure guys out a little bit more as opposed to, ‘Hey, this is it, this is the way it’s going to be,’ that type of stuff. Eric hasn’t had that experience yet.”

Bieniemy comes to Washington having had a very successful stretch with the Chiefs where he won two Super Bowls under Andy Reid. Known for his intensity, it appears players have struggled getting used to his approach.