Kevin Stefanski hire in Cleveland leaves Eric Bieniemy without a head coaching job

Eric Bieniemy will return to coordinate the Kansas City Chiefs offense for a third season after being passed over for every head coaching job for 2020.

With the official word coming down that the Cleveland Browns have made their decision to hire Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach, it’s clear that Eric Bieniemy will return to the Kansas City Chiefs for a third season at the same position.

The Browns were the last opening available in an offseason in which fewer positions than expected were available. Perhaps if the Detroit Lions or Atlanta Falcons, for example, had decided to move on from Matt Patricia and/or Dan Quinn, Bieniemy would be wrapping up his duties in Kansas City. Instead, a smaller market decided to pass over Bieniemy for every single opening despite getting four total interviews—the same thing to have happened last offseason as well.

Bieniemy now returns to the Chiefs to serve as Andy Reid‘s right hand for a third season after spending the previous five years in K.C. as the running backs coach. At this point, it would serve Bieniemy well to huddle up with Reid and see if something can be added to his responsibilities. It might be a question for outsiders as to how much input Bieniemy really has into the team’s dynamic offense when Reid himself is known as such a creative genius.

However, Reid has been vocal in his support of Bieniemy’s abilities as a head coach and by all accounts, players included, the former Colorado Buffalo coach is a great leader of men and ready for his own post.

For now, Bieniemy will be back in 2020 in hopes that another successful year by the Chiefs can elevate his stock even higher—from being an annual candidate to someone taken seriously enough to hire. Given that the Chiefs are in the driver’s seat to make their first Super Bowl in 50 years in the present year, Bieniemy’s stock certainly wouldn’t be hurt by such an achievement.