Eric Bieniemy Jr is an American football coach and former running back. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes and is their all-time leader in rushing yards (3,940) and touchdowns (42). Bieniemy was also named a unanimous All-American and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting during their national championship season in 1990. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the UCLA.
As a player, he played nine seasons in the NFL for the Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Philadelphia Eagles. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He later played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles, primarily as a special teamer. After returning to Colorado in the early 2000s to finish his degree, he began his coaching career at his alma mater. He has since coached for the UCLA Bruins, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Kansas City Chiefs. With the Chiefs, he served as the offensive coordinator under head coach Andy Reid, winning Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LVII.
In 2023, Bieniemy joined the Washington Commanders as their assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. His coaching profile makes him a top-tier head coach candidate, given his success with the Chiefs’ high-powered offense. Bieniemy’s impact extends beyond the field, as he has helped develop players like Jamaal Charles and Kareem Hunt. His journey from player to coach exemplifies his dedication to the game of football.
Bieniemy was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 15, 1969 to Eric Bieniemy Sr and Gertrude Bieniemy. He later moved with his family to Hollywood, California, in 1979 and then to West Covina, California, in 1980. He attended Bishop Amat Memorial High School in La Puente, California, where he excelled in football and track and field. He earned second-team All-America honors as a senior.
He has two brothers, Kevin and Keith, and a sister, Kimberly. His parents divorced when he was young and he was raised by his mother and grandmother.
Bieniemy is married to Mia Bieniemy, whom he met at Colorado. They have two sons, Eric Bieniemy III and Elijah Bieniemy. Eric III played football at Colorado as a defensive back and Elijah played football at Vanderbilt as a wide receiver. His nephew, Jamal, played basketball at the University of Oklahoma and University of Texas El Paso.
Bieniemy graduated from Bishop Amat High School in 1987 and enrolled at the University of Colorado Boulder. He majored in criminology and was a star running back for the Colorado Buffaloes. He set school records for rushing yards (3,940) and touchdowns (42) and was named a unanimous All-American and the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year in 1990. He also helped the Buffaloes win the national championship that year and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. He was inducted into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
Bieniemy was drafted for a professional Career by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the Chargers, mostly as a backup and a special teamer. He then signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995 and played four seasons with them, becoming their leading rusher in 1995 and 1996. He finished his playing career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999, where he reunited with his former Colorado coach Bill McCartney. He retired after the 1999 season with 1,589 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 146 receptions, 1,223 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns in his NFL career.
Bieniemy began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver in 2000. He then returned to Colorado as the running backs coach in 2001 and 2002. He moved to UCLA as the running backs coach in 2003 and 2004 and added the recruiting coordinator duties in 2005. He coached several future NFL players, such as Maurice Jones-Drew, Chris Markey, and Manuel White. He joined the Minnesota Vikings as the running backs coach in 2006 and stayed there until 2010. He also served as the assistant head coach in 2010. He worked with Adrian Peterson, who led the NFL in rushing yards in 2008 and 2009. He went back to Colorado as the offensive coordinator in 2011 and 2012, but the Buffaloes struggled offensively and won only four games in those two seasons. He was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs as the running backs coach in 2013 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018. He has been instrumental in developing the Chiefs’ explosive offense, led by Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and others. He has won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, in 2020 and 2022. He has also been a candidate for several head coaching jobs in the NFL, but has not been hired yet.