Photo: Getty Images
The Washington Commanders are moving on from offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy after former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury was hired for the same position, head coach Dan Quinn confirmed to reporters on Monday (February 5).
"I think he's an excellent coach," Quinn said via CBS Sports' Zach Pereles. "We're not gonna work together here. I wish EB nothing but the best. I have a lot of respect to him."
Bieniemy, 54, was hired by Quinn's predecessor Ron Rivera last offseason after spending five seasons as the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive coordinator -- having previously coaching running backs from 2013-17 -- which included two Super Bowl victories. The move was also made prior to former Commanders owner Daniel Snyder selling the team to a group led by Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris.
The Commanders ranked 25th in scoring offense and 24th in total offense during the 2023 season as Bieniemy went from guiding Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to an offense centered around fifth-round pick Sam Howell, while Washington's defense ranked last in points allowed, total yards allowed, passing touchdowns allowed and passer rating allowed.
Kingsbury, who worked as a senior offensive analyst for the USC Trojans in 2023, was fired by the Cardinals last January, which NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport described as feeling "more like a mutual parting than anything." The 44-year-old had signed an extension running through the 2027 in March 2022, coming off his best season as the Cardinals' head coach since being hired in 2019.
Arizona finished the 2021 season with an 11-6 record for second-place in the NFC West, before being eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card playoff round. The Cardinals had improved their record from the previous season during Kingsbury's past two seasons, finishing with a 5-10-1 record during his first season and 8-8 in 2020.
But the team fell short of expectations in 2022, finishing with a 4-13 record, which was the third worst among all 32 NFL teams and missed the playoffs for the third time in Kingsbury's four-year coaching tenure. Kingsbury, who played quarterback at Texas Tech and as an NFL backup, had previously worked as a quarterbacks coach -- as well as an offensive coordinator -- at Houston and later Texas A&M, as well as the head coach at his alma matter.
The Commanders also reportedly hired Dallas Cowboys secondary coach and passing game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. to be their new defensive coordinator, a position Quinn held while working with Whitt in Dallas prior to being hired by Washington, NFL Network's Steve Wyche reports.