The Atlanta Falcons finally pulled the plug on Arthur Smith after the beleaguered head coach posted three consecutive 7-10 records, leaving a vacancy at the most important position on their coaching staff.
The team is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, from former second-team All Pro cornerback A.J. Terrell to star running back Bijan Robinson, and will be one of the most attractive destinations for head coaching candidates this offseason. Who should the franchise target during this offseason’s coaching carousel to get the most out of the stars on the roster?
For years, Eric Bieniemy was rumored as a head coaching candidate as he led Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to consistent top-five offensive finishes.
According to USA Today, Bieniemy has taken 16 interviews for a head coaching gig with 15 different teams in recent years (the New York Jets have interviewed him twice). Despite interviewing with nearly half of the league’s franchises, he never received a formal offer, and was instead passed over for some of the worst hires in recent NFL history: Adam Gase by the Jets, Urban Meyer by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Nathaniel Hackett by the Denver Broncos, and so many more.
Bieniemy’s situation is also flabbergasting because of his relative success; of the last nine offensive coordinators to coach in a Super Bowl (not including Bieniemy), five are currently NFL head coaches. Some blame this on the notion that Bieniemy’s success was merely a product of coaching under offensive mastermind Andy Reid, though this year has doused the flames on that theory.
The Chiefs have had their own host of issues this year beyond new (old) offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, including truly terrible wide receiver play, as they led the league in both dropped passes (40) and dropped pass percentage (6.6). Still, Bieniemy’s coaching chops have been vindicated by the overall struggles of the Mahomes-led offense.
The Falcons possess as much skill position talent as Bieniemy has ever worked with. They feature a true WR1 in Drake London, a high-potential tight end in Kyle Pitts, and a loaded backfield rotation featuring Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. They also have the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, which could allow Bieniemy to handpick his own quarterback prospect from one of the most loaded QB classes in recent memory.
Atlanta needs to prioritize a coach who can maximize the talent of their many highly-picked skill position players. Bieniemy was the author of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce’s breakout seasons, and would be perfectly suited to do the same with London, Pitts, and Robinson for the Falcons.
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