If the Minnesota Vikings’ 2021 season is similar to that of 2020, a path for Eric Bieniemy as a coach is unexpectedly available.
Bieniemy, the current offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, has been exploited as a head coach by the Bengals, Browns, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Dolphins, Eagles, Falcons, Chargers, Giants, Jets, Lions and Texans during the past two seasons. Mathematically, this is about 40% of all NFL teams that chose a different coach candidate instead of the 51-year-old Bieniemy.
Someone has to give in.
The Vikings are not scheduled to have a depressing season in 2021, as several notable injured players will return and are likely to make an impact. But 2020 should also not be a 7-9 year. Minnesota was predicted by oddsmakers to win 9-10 games and face the Green Bay Packers by the NFC Northern Division. Instead, the Vikings started 1-5, rose in the middle of the season and fell again when a playoff spot was in play.
The 7-9 finish shortened Mike Zimmer’s seven-year work with the Vikings. He may not start the season with his buttocks warm, but any appearance of an underwhelming year – with or without injuries – will speed up resignations.
In Bieniemy, the Chiefs’ offensive guru is already coveted by loyal Vikings. Kansas City has planned three full seasons of massive offensive production, and Minnesota fans believe he could do the same at the North Star State.
If 2021 is Zimmer’s last year with the franchise, Bieniemy would be there to be taken as the new Vikings captain.
Past … again
By Marcellus in Hamlet, something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
For reasons unknown, numerous teams have failed to give Bieniemy his chance at a great job. The gossip opinion is that the man interviews badly. Well, it is not for lack of eloquence or cordiality. Pull any YouTube stream from Bieniemy physically speaking, and this theory is immediately debunked.
Even teams that are known for hiring stupid coaches – the Jets and the Browns – have passed a Bieniemy test. It may not be conspiratorial or racially motivated, but some mysterious force or cause is preventing an extremely prolific offensive coordinator from realizing his natural progression as an NFL coach.
At some point, an NFL franchise is going to dive – and it should have already happened. Forget about conspiracy theories, skin color or any other weird reasoning, the guy could look like a real hobbit and still get a head coaching position based on his achievements so far in Kansas City.
The longer the NFL hesitates to apply, the more curious the ordeal becomes. If the Vikings really make a coaching change, they could be the franchise that puts an end to the meaningless puzzle that plagues Bieniemy’s job search.
The proverbial “Viking ties”
A hypothetical Bieniemy transaction for Minnesota is not based on the fantasy of “maybe LeBron James plays for the Timberwolves”. Bieniemy has a real-life connection to the Vikings. Remember Adrian Peterson’s era? You do. Bieniemy was the trainer of running backs in the early days of Peterson. Check out some Adrian Peterson statistics and cash scores to determine if Bieniemy did well.
Bieniemy joined Minnesota in 2006 at the beginning of Brad Childress’ tenure. He was in charge of running backs and was later promoted to assistant coach in the unfortunate 2010 season. There is also a sentimental connection to Minnesota. The Vikings offered the Chiefs’ coordinator his first professional coaching position. Before wearing purple and gold side clothes, he trained running backs at the University of Colorado and UCLA. Minnesota gave him a chance to coach the NFL – and by the way, here’s a member of the Hall of Fame in Adrian Peterson.
These connections are important in coaching relationships. The Vikings’ estate today was the same group as Bieniemy’s first pass. It would not be strange for the Wilfs to approach Bieniemy if the team has a coach vacancy in 2021.
The Mahomes-Reid-Bieniemy debate
Belonging to wins and losses and his field environment, Bieniemy is a lucky man. Chiefs coach Andy Reid finally made it to the Super Bowl club. Their bosses took down the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl LIV. Kansas City is returning to the championship in February in what appears to be the continuation of a dynasty in the making.
Reid can take a lot of credit for dynastic flirtation, but some [a lot] must be parked at the door of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The former Texas Tech student has earned enough in three seasons for reasonable heads of football to enshrine his greatest quarterback talent of all time – at 25.
Is Bieniemy affiliated with any accessory for the Chiefs’ triumphs? Not really – of course. Should he be defended? Absolutely. Think of the “equal pay for equal work” vibes.
And the football gods seem to be pushing Bieniemy toward Minnesota – at least for a series of strange events.
