Commander Country

Eric Bieniemy 'Not Afraid' of Commanders 'Challenge'

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy explains why he left his cushy gig with the Kansas City Chiefs to start a new challenge.

Jeremy Brener

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Eric Bieniemy had it nice with the Kansas City Chiefs.

For the last five years, Bieniemy had the chance to work for one of the best organizations in the NFL, arguably a budding dynasty, all led by two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes.

So, why would a coach at the top of the mountain choose a somewhat lateral job with a worse team?

"I'm not afraid of a challenge," Bieniemy said. "I've had 10 years of success with the Kansas City Chiefs. I said it before I said it again, comfort is the enemy of progress. You can't be afraid of leaving a great situation to help yourself to grow and expand."

With Mahomes, Bieniemy and the Chiefs fluorished, landing in the top five total offenses every year and at worst, hosting the AFC Championship Game.

Bieniemy was well-respected in Kansas City and could have signed a new contract to stay with the Chiefs, but joined the Washington Commanders after a decade working with Andy Reid. But sometimes, it's just time to move on.

"This presents a whole entire new challenge that I'm willing to embrace, but also excited about it because I know the potential that's here," Bieniemy said. "I know that's a dangerous word but I know the potential that's here. So yeah, I'm fired up. I'm excited.”

There are certainly aspects of the job Bieniemy has in Washington that he wouldn't have in Kansas City. 

Can he help the Commanders improve like the Chiefs did? Will he be able to maintain the same success with new personnel? What can he do with a new quarterback?

All of these questions, and more, should be answered in 2023 in Bieniemy's first season with the Commanders.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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