Eric Bieniemy

Kashif Anwar -
Eric Bieniemy

 


Eric Bieniemy is a former player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He is now the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs. Bieniemy had a nine-year career as a running back in the National Football League. His "NFL" career as a player, however, was not as successful as his college career. Bieniemy was a consensus "All-American" while playing for the Colorado Buffaloes at the University of Colorado Boulder. In the 1991 "NFL Draft, he was selected by the "San Diego Chargers," and then played for the "Philadelphia Eagles" (1999) and the "Cincinnati Bengals." After that, Bieniemy began his coaching career as a running backs coach before becoming the offensive coordinator at Colorado. In 2018, he started working as an offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. His sixth season with the "Chiefs" was a success. Bieniemy has been charged with driving under the influence, getting into a fight, and speeding in the past.

Childhood and Adolescence

Bieniemy was born on August 15, 1969, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as Eric M. Bieniemy, Jr. He had spent the majority of his life in a New Orleans slum where he was exposed to narcotics and prostitution. Bieniemy was a teenager when his family relocated to West Covina, where the social environment remained mostly unchanged. However, things did not improve for him until he went to Boulder, a more affluent region, to begin his profession.

Bieniemy was a letterman in football and track and field at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, California. In his senior year, he was also named to the second team of the "All-America" football team.

Bieniemy then went on to play for the "Colorado Buffaloes" in 1990 while attending the "University of Colorado Boulder." With 1,628 yards and 17 touchdowns as a member of the team, he became the nation's second-leading rusher.

"Scooter" was his nickname, and he wore the number one jersey. In 1990, Bieniemy was unanimously selected for the 'All-America' accolades. In 1990 (previously in 1988), he was named a first-team "Big-Eight Performer," and in his senior year, he was named the conference's "Offensive Player of the Year."

Bieniemy was named to the university's prestigious 25-member "All-Century Football Team" as a junior.

Bieniemy finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. He broke the school's all-time rushing (3,940 yards) and all-purpose yards (4,351) records, as well as scoring touchdowns (42).

Bieniemy was a member of the team that won the "Co-National Championship" in 1990.

Career

The San Diego Chargers selected Bieniemy in the second round (39th overall) of the 1991 NFL Draft, marking the start of his professional career. Bieniemy's professional career (from 1991 to 1999) didn't go as well as his college career did.

He finished his career with 1,589 yards rushing, 276 yards returning punts, 1,223 yards receiving, 1,621 yards on kickoff returns, 11 rushing yards, and one kickoff return while playing for the San Diego Chargers (1991–1994), the Cincinnati Bengals (1995–1998), and the Philadelphia Eagles (1999), all while playing for Andy Reid's "Chiefs." From 1995 through 1998, he was a running back with the "Cincinnati Bengals."

Bieniemy appeared in "Super Bowl XXIX" in his final season with the "Chargers."

After a disappointing NFL career, Bieniemy restarted his studies at Colorado and completed his degree. His first coaching job was as an assistant at Denver's "Thomas Jefferson High," but the squad struggled throughout the season.

From 2001 to 2002, he was the "Buffaloes" running backs coach, and from 2003 to 2005, he was the "UCLA" running backs coach.In 2005, he also served as the team's recruitment coordinator.

After the "UCLA" squad won the 2005 "Sun Bowl," Bieniemy was named the running-backs coach for the NFL's "Minnesota Vikings." Adrian Peterson, the Vikings' leading rusher, performed admirably in the NFC, running for 1,341 yards in 2007 and 1,760 yards in 2008, the highest total in the NFC at the time.

In 2006, Bieniemy coached Chester Taylor, who with Adrian Peterson established one of the most explosive duos in the NFL.

Bieniemy was named associate head coach of the Vikings' offense on July 26, 2010. He was named offensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes on December 2, the same year, under new head coach Jon Embree.

Bieniemy was named the Kansas City Chiefs' running backs coach in 2013, reporting to Andy Reid, the team's head coach. In 2018, he was promoted to offensive coordinator, and the "Chiefs" finished the season with the most yards per game and points in the "NFL." For the season, the team's overall performance was outstanding.

From 2013 through 2016, Bieniemy coached RB Jamaal Charles, who was regarded as one of the "chiefs" in the NFL's most powerful rushing and receiving players. Charles went on to become the franchise's all-time leading rusher, with the best yards-per-carry average in franchise history.
He set a new record for receiving yards by becoming the first running back in Chiefs history to do so.

Scandals


While a standout running back at Colorado University, Bieniemy had multiple legal difficulties. He was a freshman when he was charged with getting into an argument at a bar after a racial slur was yelled at him. Bieniemy pleaded no contest and was sentenced to community service.
Bieniemy's driving record was seized numerous times throughout his stay in "Colorado." As more cases piled up, his license was eventually suspended for a year. For speeding in the state, he was sentenced to a $1,000 bond.
Bieniemy failed to appear in court for his hearing on driving while his license was suspended. A few weeks later, he was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident.
After being charged with harassing and assaulting a parking valet during a "Colorado" football game in 1993, Bieniemy was banned from the university for a year.
On July 4, 1990, a fire broke out in his mother's home, allegedly caused by fireworks ignited in a plastic bag in his garage by his younger brother. To his surprise, Bieniemy stopped the firefighters who were attempting to break through the garage wall. The firefighters initially mistook the incident for an electrical fire.
Bieniemy was arrested for driving under the influence in April 2001, shortly after being designated the "Colorado" running-backs coach.
Bieniemy caused outrage when he called top running back Marcus Houston "Markeesha." This caused Houston to leave the team.

Personal and Family Life


Bieniemy and his wife, Mia, have two boys, Eric III and Elijah.
Jamal, his nephew, has been selected for the men's basketball team of "The Oklahoma Sooners."
ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman dubbed him "Eric Sleeping with Bieniemy," a reference to the 1991 film "Sleeping with the Enemy."