Why the Denver Broncos should cross Eric Bienemy off of their List

As the Denver Broncos continue their search for their head next coach, they crossed another interview off of their list, conducting an interview with Kansas City Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy on Friday.

Barring any last-minute additions, this is expected to be the last interview conducted by the Broncos.

Since last season, the buzz around the league has been loud on why Bieniemy has yet to land a head coaching gig in the NFL. Many expected Bieniemy to be purged from the Chiefs in the last hiring cycle, and were surprised when all the vacancies were filled without Bieniemy being one of them.

There has been much speculation on why Bieniemy has yet to receive a shot as a head coach, one popular theory being that he interviews poorly. While it remains to be seen how successful his interview was with the Broncos, perhaps this is the year Bieniemy gets his shot at a head coaching stint.

However, it does not feel as if the Denver Broncos should be the landing spot for Bieniemy. This may sound crazy and downright ridiculous to some. Why would the Denver Broncos pass up on purging the offensive coordinator from not only one of the biggest offensive powerhouses in the league but also the biggest divisional threat?

This way of thinking is validated. The Broncos being able to snatch Bieniemy away from the Chiefs could be a dream come true. His time spent in their system and working with both Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes would be invaluable intel he would be bringing to the Broncos.

Though Bieniemy has yet to garner any head coaching experience, he has worked under one of the best football minds in Reid since joining the Chiefs in 2013, and taking the risk on a brand new head coach could pay off for the Broncos, who only interviewed one candidate with prior experience as a head coach (Dan Quinn).

Of course, there is speculation that Bieniemy is more of a yes man to Andy Reid, who is thought to do most of the offensive playcalling. This could be debated, but this is not the reason the Denver Broncos should not take a chance on Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy’s success as a coach is not the reason that he may be an undesirable option, or why he has yet to secure a head coaching job.

When considering the ideal candidate to take over the Denver Broncos, the team must consider strength in character as an important trait. Though many years have passed since Bieniemy’s last infraction, the offensive coordinator has had a lot of character issues surface throughout the years, varying from disorderly conduct and drunk driving to harassment.

The most damning evidence against Bieniemy was in 1993 when he was playing for the San Diego Chargers as a running back. He was arrested for harassment of a female parking lot attendant. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Bieniemy “approached a lot attendant from behind and grabbed her by the neck.” He also allegedly made comments about his group being “her worst nightmare.”

His most recent incident was in 2001 when he was given a DUI and arrested. While this offense may be more common than harassment, it certainly can not be overlooked, especially considering that we have seen the tragic results of drunk driving after Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs took the lives of a young woman and her dog in November 2021.

While these events happened over two decades ago and it is highly likely that Eric Bieniemy has reformed his character, these allegations are still concerning enough that the Denver Broncos should consider removing Bieniemy from their list.

At this time, it feels pivotal that the Broncos hire a coach with strong character attributes, and a candidate with something this serious on their resume feels like a conflict of interest.

Whether Bieniemy is qualified for the job does not really feel like the question at hand. Many coordinators less qualified than Bieniemy get the opportunity to be a head coach, and with the dominant offense he is currently in charge of, it is highly unlikely that he is never going to get the same opportunity.

However, based on his past alone, it would be in the best interest of the Denver Broncos to avoid Eric Bieniemy at this time, especially when there are other candidates that are not accompanied by this off-field baggage.