Are the Vikings Waiting on Eric Bieniemy for OC?
Dustin Baker
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Something is a wee bit off-kilter about the Minnesota Vikings search for an offensive coordinator. Gary Kubiak retired on January 21st, and crickets have been the only discernible sound since. Indeed, the nomination of a new offensive coordinator is not a task to undertake flippantly or hurriedly, but some person probably should have been announced by now.
When Kevin Stefanski was re-upped for the job in early 2019, that proclamation was broadcast in January of that year. The same went for Kubiak in 2020 after Stefanski’s promotion to the Cleveland Browns head coaching job. No regulation mandates an offensive coordinator must be hired by February, but almost all NFL teams have their man in place.
The Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins are the only two teams leaguewide without an offensive coordinator as of February 1st, 2021.
What gives?
The last time a Vikings hunt for an offensive playcaller bled into February, Minnesota hired John DeFilippo from the championPhiladelphia Eagles in 2017. DeFilippo was the quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia that had just pinched 2012 Joe Flacco-like performance out of Nick Foles – a feat not replicated since the Eagles Super Bowl run.
A pumping of the brakes a bit — Minnesota may simply be moving like sloth aficionados because they can. Or there may be a rational, unspoken explanation for it. If the latter is true, the Vikings could be waiting to gauge Eric Bieniemy’s interest in the gig. Bieniemy’s Chiefs will play in the Super Bowl next weekend versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bieniemy Passed Over for HC. Again.
In a mind-boggling twist of recent events, oodles of NFL franchises have said “no thanks” on auditioning Bieniemy for a head coaching opportunity. There might be a dastardly conspiracy against him, which would be an unthinkable and outrageous violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. Conversely, teams could – in mass fashion – dislike his candidacy and opt for the different coach. But something is up. And those unknown reservations on his employment will probably persist until he lands the big job with an NFL team.
Roughly 40% of all teams since 2019 have passed on employing Bieniemy as head coach – meaning he is in line to remain with Chiefs (probably a smart, Super Bowl-laden move for him). Of that 40% (about 12 teams), most have even interviewed the man and bowed out in favor of somebody else.
Bottom line: Bieniemy is not getting the job he covets, and it is bizarre.
A Step Out from Andy Reid’s Shadow
The less-conspiratorial reasoning behind his job interview strikeouts might be his role in the Chiefs offense. Because he owns the title of ‘offensive coordinator,’ it is presumed that he runs the offense – or at least has substantial say in its execution.
What if that is a façade? Vikings enthusiasts know all about shadow coordinators. Former Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards held the title for six seasons with Mike Zimmer as the head boss. Most knew, though, that Zimmer was the kingof the defense. If this is the same arrangement with Andy Reid and Bieniemy, maybe the 51-year-old Bieniemy would welcome a change of scenery. Reid is widely renowned for an infallible offensive brain. In 2017, he paired that noggin with the superhuman skill set of Patrick Mahomes. The combination has netted three consecutive AFC Championship appearances, a Super Bowl win, and another trip this Sunday. Not bad.
If Reid has a stranglehold on the offensive dealings in Kansas City – and it is reasonable to assume that he does – then Bieniemy might just jump at the chance to have his own offense. With the Vikings, he would irrefutably be given this latitude. Mike Zimmer is notorious for a hands-off approach on offense, mainly because he is so obsessed with a rip-roaring defense.
Zimmer is the anti-Reid for offensive input. Give Zimmer 20 or so guys that play defense and go away. Let Kubiak, Stefanski, or Bieniemy figure out the rest.
Handing over full custody of an offense to Bieniemy that he can call his own could be just what the doctor ordered for him – especially if he is labeled as a puppet inside smoke-filled rooms where head coaching jobs are decided.
And Of Course – the Minnesota Connection
Lastly – the usual stuff. Bieniemy spent his formative years as a coach in Minnesota. He signed on when the current owners – Mark and Zygi Wilf – bought the franchise. Bieniemy was hired as a running backs coach and was the man in charge when Adrian Peterson ran roughshod over the league in the late 2010s.
His “ties to Minnesota” are meaningful, and they are not just some cousin to a guy that once operated a booth at the Minnesota State Fair. These connections are real. And in the NFL, those relationships are lasting.
The Vikings are either loitering about this offensive coordinator search because extreme due diligence. Or perhaps the team is seeking candidates more expansively than was theorized. If that is the case, a Bieniemy phone call has to be in play.