A year ago, Eric Bieniemy seemed next to net a head coaching gig and add another branch to the Andy Reid tree. Surprisingly, he was passed over. Surely, it seemed, this year would be different.
With one open coaching gig left, Bieniemy remains unsigned.
As he did during last year's Super Bowl week, Bieniemy has taken being passed over time and time again in stride.
"It's always good to be mentioned and having the opportunity to fulfill your dreams," he said Thursday, via Richard Graves, of Sky Sports. "Yes, I do want to be a head coach, but when it's all said and done, my job is to make sure I'm not taking away from the goals we're trying to accomplish."
Bieniemy declined to get into further specifics on the situation, once again leaning on his line that he's simply focusing on the Chiefs' game plan for Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills.
It makes little sense that a man with Bieniemy's credentials isn't a head coach. Super Bowl winner? Check. Coaches up young talent? Check. Credited with creative game-planning? Check. Has the backing of players? Check. A well-respected head coach vouches for him? Check.
As this hiring cycle has shown, calling plays isn't a prerequisite to getting a coaching job -- neither Dan Campbell nor Nick Sirianni called plays -- thus, anyone using that as an excuse for why Bieniemy doesn't have his own gig is full of hooey.
Andy Reid assistants with worse resumes have gotten head coaching jobs.
Unless the Houston Texans, who recently interviewed the Chiefs OC, make Bieniemy their coach, he will once again be passed over during another coaching cycle.
Bieniemy might not complain about still having a job coaching the most explosive offense in the NFL for a boss who appreciates his work, but far too many others have gotten a chance to steer their own ship while this man remains a first mate.
