A big name has been added to the list of Colts head coaching candidates. Owner Jim Irsay announced on Twitter that the Colts have completed an interview with Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
This is a sudden development in the organization’s head coaching search, but not a particularly surprising one. Zak Keefer of The Athletic tweets that the Colts have been “digging” on Bieniemy over the past few days.
A fixture on head-coaching carousels in recent years, Bieniemy has been unable to land a top job. The coordinator was connected to all seven head coaching vacancies during the 2021 campaign, but he only interviewed for two gigs (Saints, Broncos) in 2022. Now, after years of interviewing for a head coach job, Bieniemy has secured only his first interview of the year.
A Chiefs assistant throughout Andy Reid‘s nine-year tenure, Bieniemy has been the team’s OC throughout Patrick Mahomes‘ QB1 run. A report indicated that the 2021 season was somewhat trying for Bieniemy mentally, and the prospect of sitting out 2022 or returning to the college ranks emerged. He ultimately decided to stick in Kansas City, and despite the loss of wideout Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs offense still managed to lead the NFL in points and yards.
Bieniemy would be a logical fit in Indianapolis, where the Colts are looking for a head coach to replace Frank Reich and (potentially) interim HC Jeff Saturday. As ESPN’s Stephen Holder tweets, the coach has “strong ties” to Colts general manager Chris Ballard dating back to their time in Kansas City.
As our 2023 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, the growing list of known and potential Colts head coaching candidates includes:
- Ejiro Evero, defensive coordinator (Broncos): To interview 1/12
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Interview requested
- Jim Harbaugh, head coach (Michigan): Mentioned as candidate
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/13
- Raheem Morris, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interview requested
- Jeff Saturday, interim head coach (Colts): Interview expected
- Shane Steichen, offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/14
- Bubba Ventrone, special teams coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/11
About time. Should’ve been a HC already.
Easy candidate for teams to comply with the Rooney rule. Seems like a waste of everyone’s time
I thought they couldn’t interview until after the Chiefs season is over.
It’s their bye week so they can interview him
Yeah, forgot about that. Thanks!
The people screaming that he better be hired are absurd. The color of your skin isn’t a qualification, no matter the color. He’s been universally rejected as a HC candidate. He’s basically just Maholmes punching bag in KC, as Reid is the OC. At some point, if he wants to be taken seriously, maybe he should go become a real OC for a team who’s HC doesn’t have the job. I liked him as a player..but in reality MOST coaches aren’t cut out to be a NFL HC. He clearly shows something in interviews that disqualifies him
Apparently people really believe after every interview that the ownership and consultants look at every candidate and perpetually say he was definitely the best answer of all of them and gives us the best chance to win and make a lot of money…. but he’s black.
That photo is not him.
Then who is it?
He covered up rapes at Colorado