Announcement: Bears Appoint Eric Bieniemy as Running Backs Coach
In less than a fortnight after appointing Ben Johnson as their head coach, the Chicago Bears have reportedly enlisted another highly skilled offensive mind to their team.
According to multiple sources, Eric Bieniemy was brought on board as the Bears' running backs coach on Saturday, marking the two-time Super Bowl champion's comeback to the NFL coaching scene.
Bieniemy, aged 55, served as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs for five seasons, contributing to their league championships in 2019 and 2022. Under Bieniemy's guidance, the Chiefs' offense consistently ranked among the top six in both points and yards per game for all five seasons.
In 2023, he was appointed as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, but was not retained after the team's offense struggled during a 4-13 season.
Following this, Bieniemy spent 2024 as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at UCLA, where he had previously coached running backs from 2003 to 2005. He has also served as a running backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings (2006-10) and the Chiefs (2013-17).
In his return to the NFL, Bieniemy's goal will be to assist Johnson in improving the Bears' offense, which ranked last in yards (284.6) and tied for fourth-lowest in points per game (18.2) last season with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the top overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Johnson, aged 38, was hired by the Bears on January 21 after spending the previous three seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. Under Johnson's leadership, the Lions' offense consistently ranked among the top five in total yards and points per game.
