Longtime Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was unable to land a head coaching job this cycle, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be back in K.C. for the 2022 NFL season.
Bieniemy's contract with the Chiefs is expiring, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Monday. Bieniemy could return to the Chiefs for a fifth season or he could become a "hot free-agent OC," Pelissero added.
Bieniemy, 52, most recently interviewed with the New Orleans Saints for their vacant head coaching job, but the team's defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is being hired in NOLA and the Houston Texans have reached a deal with their defensive coordinator, Lovie Smith, to be their new head coach. Thusly, Bieniemy has been passed over for a head coaching opportunity once again.
Since assuming the role of the Chiefs' OC in 2018, Bieniemy has been an integral part in the offense becoming the most prolific in the NFL as it leads the league in points per game (30.3), yards per game (404.2) and offensive touchdowns per game (3.4) during his time. Bienemy joined Kansas City in 2013 and spent five seasons as running backs coach before rising to the level of offensive coordinator.
Should Bieniemy move on, the Chiefs would be left with quite the conundrum, as his presumed replacement would have been QB coach Mike Kafka, but Kafka is expected to be hired as the New York Giants offensive coordinator.
Though he's not departing to a head coaching gig, Bieniemy's future with the Chiefs is uncertain.
