Eric Bieniemy, once highly sought-after NFL head coaching prospect, out at UCLA as offensive coordinator
Bieniemy and UCLA mutually agreed to part ways, according to his agent
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Eric Bieniemy and the school parted ways after just one season as the offensive coordinator at UCLA.
Bieniemy’s agent, Jason Fletcher, said his plan was to always return to the NFL after a year in college football.
"Eric and UCLA mutually parted ways today as previously planned. He’s still getting paid by the Commanders. After interviewing for head coaching jobs last year, he wanted to stay active and busy. So, he decided to go help out Deshaun Foster, who is like his little brother, at UCLA as opposed to sitting out a year. The plan was always to return to the NFL in 2025, and he’s looking forward to the opportunities ahead," Fletcher said in a statement obtained by NFL Network.
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UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy looks on against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second half of an NCAA football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Friday, November 8, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
Bieniemy, 55, was last in the NFL in 2023, when he was the Washington Commanders' offensive coordinator.
The Commanders went 4-13 last season and were 25th in points per game under Bieniemy, averaging 19.4 points per game.
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Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy on the field before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at FedExField. (Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)
Head coach Ron Rivera was fired at the end of the season, and the coaching staff was dismissed with him.
Bieniemy ran the Kansas City Chiefs' offense from 2018 to 2022, becoming a hot name in head coaching cycles.
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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (R) hugs Washington Commanders assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy (L) at FedExField. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
He only got one head coaching interview out of five openings in the 2022 head coaching cycle and left the Chiefs to go to the Commanders in hopes of having success there and eventually landing a head coaching job.
UCLA went 5-7 with a 3-6 record in the Big Ten in head coach Deshaun Foster’s first season. The Bruins' offense scored 18.4 points per game as only eight teams in Division 1 college football scored fewer points per game than UCLA.
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