Bears hiring 2-time Super Bowl champion Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as running backs coach
CHICAGO (CBS) — The Chicago Bears have added another highly regarded coach to Ben Johnson’s staff, adding Eric Bieniemy, a two-time Super Bowl champion offensive coordinator with the Kansas City chiefs, as their new running backs coach.
CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones confirmed Bieniemy has agreed to terms on a deal with the Bears to become Johnson’s running backs coach.
Bieniemy, 55, spent the past season as the offensive coordinator at UCLA, but previously spent 10 years with the Chiefs from 2013 through 2022, helping them win two Super Bowls and three AFC Championships as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022.
A former NFL running back himself, Bieniemy enjoyed a nine-year playing career before getting into coaching. He got his first NFL job in 2006, serving as the Minnesota Vikings’ running backs coach for five years – including Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson’s first four years in the NFL – before a brief return to college to serve as Colorado’s offensive coordinator.
Bieniemy returned to the NFL in 2013 and was on Andy Reid’s first coaching staff in Kansas City. He was the Chiefs’ running backs coach for five years before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018, which was also Patrick Mahomes’ first season as a starting quarterback. Mahomes won his first league MVP that season as the Chiefs got to within a game of the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs won Super Bowls LIV and LVII with Bieniemy serving as the team’s offensive coordinator. But after not getting any head coaching opportunities, Bieniemy spent the 2023 season as the Commanders offensive coordinator, but he was not retained on the coaching staff after then-head coach Ron Rivera was fired. He spent this past season as UCLA’s offensive coordinator and associated head coach.
Bieniemy is the latest notable coach to join Johnson’s coaching staff.
Johnson, who is coming off a successful run as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, is quickly assembling his first staff with the Bears, who are coming off of a disappointing 5-12 season. He recently named former Saints head coach Dennis Allen as his defensive coordinator and former Broncos tight ends coach Declan Doyle as the Bears’ offensive coordinator. Allen and Doyle worked together in New Orleans from 2019-22. Johnson also recently announced that Richard Hightower will resume his duties as the Bears’ special teams coordinator.
The Bears have also hired former Lions receivers coach Antwaan Randle El to be their new assistant head coach/wide receivers coach and former Cowboys defensive backs coach Al Harris as a defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach.
