Less than two weeks after hiring Ben Johnson as their head coach, the Chicago Bears have reportedly added another top offensive mind to their staff.
Eric Bieniemy was hired as Chicago’s running backs coach on Saturday, according to multiple reports, marking the two-time Super Bowl champion’s return to the NFL coaching ranks.
Bieniemy, 55, served as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator for five seasons and helped the Chiefs win league championships in 2019 and 2022. Kansas City’s offense finished among the NFL’s top six in both points and yards per game in all five seasons under Bieniemy.
He became the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator in 2023 but was not retained after the team’s offense struggled during a 4-13 season.
Bieniemy spent 2024 as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at UCLA, where he coached running backs from 2003 to 2005. He has also been a running backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings (2006-10) and Chiefs (2013-17).
In his return to the NFL, Bieniemy will try to help Johnson improve a Bears offense that managed the fewest yards (284.6) and tied for the fourth-fewest points per game (18.2) last season with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the top overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Johnson, 38, was hired by Chicago on Jan. 21 after spending the past three seasons as the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator. Detroit finished among the NFL’s top five in total yards and points per game all three years under Johnson.
–Field Level Media
