There’s No “I” in Team, but Two in Bieniemy: Eric’s Seen It All

There’s No “I” in Team, but Two in Bieniemy: Eric’s Seen It All – “Scooter,” that’s what they nicknamed Eric Bieniemy while playing at the University of Colorado, but long before that, you’d never have guessed that he’d been through so many trials. In fact, once Bieniemy arrived at the University of Colorado, trouble just seemed to tag along for the ride.

He grew up in the slums of New Orleans filled with drugs and prostitution. The Eric Bieniemy we know now is so positive, passionate, and driven, it’s hard to believe he came from poverty and struggle. After his family moved to Southern California when he was a young teen, those neighborhoods weren’t much different. Once in Boulder, things didn’t change much for him either. From Sports Illustrated:

“Kanavis McGhee, Colorado’s 6’5″, 230-pound sophomore linebacker, and Eric Bieniemy, also a sophomore and the Buffaloes’ leading rusher last season, were arrested in a bar fight in February 1988, after McGhee sent a 5’7″, 158-pound bouncer, Roger Hogoboom, to the hospital with a fractured cheekbone and cuts that required plastic surgery. McGhee said he was angry that Bieniemy had been called [the ”N” word] by a bar patron. Hogoboom was injured when he tried to separate the combatants. Both pleaded no contest—McGhee to a charge of second-degree assault, and Bieniemy to charges of disorderly conduct and fighting in public. They received deferred sentences and were ordered to perform community service.”

Troubles didn’t stop once Bieniemy left college either. From the Orlando Sentinel:

“San Diego Chargers running back and former Colorado football star, was arrested for investigation of harassing a parking lot attendant at the University of Miami-Colorado University game on Saturday [9/27/92]…  Bieniemy had frequent brushes with the law while a student at the university. The most notable occurred July 4, 1990. Bieniemy pleaded no contest in an incident in which he was accused of shoving a firefighter who had responded to his mother’s house in Denver to douse a garage fire. Bieniemy received an eight-month suspended sentence. He also was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident and assaulting a man at a Boulder nightclub, among other incidents.”

You may be wondering: “Are we talking about the same Eric Bieniemy here?” Yes, and it may explain where he got so much fire and passion from… because he’s always had it. Now, it’s an energy he’s learned to harness and focus, for good. It has also given him an understanding for players with their own challenges. Perhaps players like, Tyreek Hill, and what he was going through a couple of years ago.

Does any of that mean Bieniemy would not make a good head coach? Just the opposite.

His parent named him: Eric Bieniemy Jr. He was born in Louisiana in 1969, but he went to high school at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, California. In fact, EB grew up just a 30 minute drive away from where Andy Reid grew up in the East L.A./Pasadena area. He’s now 51 years old with a wife named Mia and son’s Elijah and Eric III.

I don’t want to paint a picture that portrays Eric Bieniemy’s life and career as all struggle, because he’s had many highlights. Bieniemy was an All-American recruit coming out of high school and finished third in the Heisman voting behind Ty Detmer and Rocket Ismail while at the University of Colorado in 1990. After being selected 39^th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1991 NFL draft, Bieniemy played for the Chargers for 4 seasons (playing in Super Bowl XXIX with them, a loss) then moved onto the Cincinnati Bengals playing for another four years. However, his playing career didn’t quite end there… yet.

The Andy Reid-Eric Bieniemy Connection

Bieniemy finished his playing career with one final season in 1999 for the Philadelphia Eagles, playing for a rookie head coach named Andy Reid. He had 13 carries for 75 yards which brought an end to what some call a failed NFL career. After Bieniemy’s playing days were over, he returned to the University of Colorado to finish his degree and also helped coach Thomas Jefferson High, in Denver.

Bieniemy became Colorado’s Running Back coach from 2001 to 2002 before moving on to UCLA to perform the same duties which also included serving as recruiting coordinator from 2003 to 2005. From 2006 to 2009 he become the Minnesota Viking RB coach where he coached one of the best RB duos in NFL history: Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson. In 2010, Bieniemy was named assistant head coach of the Vikings, and then was made the offensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes under head coach, Jon Embree (who later become TEs coach under Herman Edwards here in K.C.).

In 2013, Bieniemy was named the Chiefs RBs coach under their new head coach, Andy Reid. He moved on to become the Chiefs offensive coordinator in 2018, once Matt Nagy left to become HC of the Bears. Bieniemy looks like he’s the perfect fit with Andy Reid providing not only creative play calling but intensity, focus and positive energy, at practices as well as on game days.

Bieiniemyisms

Now, we’re privileged to be exposed to the Eric Bieniemy experience. Some have called the strange and funny things he says as, Bieiniemyisms.

During the first game of 2017, when Bieniemy was still the RB coach, and right after Kareem Hunt had a long TD run vs the Patriots, he said to Hunt:

“That’s a great job of just playing fast and running through the catch. No decisions made, he stuck with you. Great job of finishing the play. Now catch your breath. We’re about to feed your ass.”

That’s Eric Bieniemy: direct, pointedly unphilosophical, but instead, purposeful. Does any of that intense energy harken back to the days of his youth? Perhaps, but we can be sure that Eric Bieniemy has seen it all, so he is able to focus on the moment. The week before the Super Bowl earlier this year, EB had this to share on all his SB LIV ticket requests from friends and relatives:

“I have a wife who has been through this for a number of years. She knows how to say, ‘No.’ I have a mom who does an outstanding job of saying, ‘No,’ or ‘Hell no.’”

In that same game of 2017, mentioned above against the Patriots, after Kareem Hunt had fumbled away his first carry as a pro, Bieniemy told Hunt:

“Hear me when I say this. I don’t need a hero.

I need a smart man with two hands on contact.

Gotta keep the ball high and tight.”

While we fans have been privy to the actual playcalling of Andy Reid, who saw fit to get his rookie RB, right back out there, and hand him the ball on the very next play from scrimmage, we likely had no idea that Eric Bieniemy was taking their star rookie aside and telling him precisely what he did, and didn’t, want. That’s Bieniemy: not afraid to mince words or say what is exactly on his mind.

Perhaps the name of this piece should have been: “Eric’s Seen, and Done, It All.” One way or the other, as a Kansas City Chiefs fan, I’ll be sad to see Eric Bieniemy leave for his own head coaching position, but also happy for the man who has already seen and done so much. Obviously, he’s been able to do all of that, on his own terms. There may be no “I” in team, but the two Bieniemy has, have made the Chiefs better, and helped turn the Chiefs into Super Bowl Champions. How can we be sure? Because it takes one to know one… you see, Eric Bieniemy is the original competitive prick!

Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne

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