Kansas City Chiefs fans anxiously await news on offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy after he had an 8-hour interview with the New Orleans Saints for their head-coaching vacancy.
Bieniemy has interviewed with 15 NFL teams for head-coaching vacancies across four NFL offseasons, but he’s been passed over time and time again for other candidates. The NFL currently has two Black head coaches in the NFL after the Houston Texans hired Lovie Smith on Monday. This comes just days after Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a memo to all 32 NFL teams regarding the lack of coaching diversity in the league.
During practice at the 2022 Pro Bowl, Chiefs S Tyrann Mathieu spoke to NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe in an on-field interview. He weighed in on Bieniemy’s coaching candidacy and the lack of Black head coaches in the league.
Caught up with Pro Bowl captain Tyrann Mathieu (@Mathieu_Era)
about playing with other stars, NFL Black coach hirings/firings and why he wants an all-Louisiana battle with Justin Jefferson today.Peep his son, Tyrann Jr., in the frame — he’s been lit all week. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/6C85ybwCUF
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) February 6, 2022
“Yeah, man, obviously you had the feeling a couple of years ago that things were beginning to change,” Mathieu said. “Maybe here or there, things have changed, but I think overall, there’s still a lot of great Black coaches who seemingly get left out and overlooked, man.
“Obviously, you know, Eric Bieniemy, I know him personally being a part of the team with him the past three years and just watching the way that he inspires us and motivates us, and even the X’s and O’s — He’s a great coach. He’s coached some great players and you just want what’s best for everybody.”
We’ll see if the latest interview for Bieniemy is the one that lands him a head-coaching job. His players remain steadfast in their praise for his leadership, coaching and mastery of the game. The one thing that remains clear is that the NFL has a long way to go when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the hiring process for head-coaching positions.
