Report: Chicago Bears to hire Eric Bieniemy as running backs coach

Eric Bieniemy is returning to the NFL. He is set to become the Chicago Bears’ running backs coach, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported.

Bieniemy spent the 2024 season as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at UCLA after a year as the OC for the Washington Commanders. He made a name for himself under Andy Reid with the Kansas City Chiefs, starting as running backs coach from 2013-17 before moving up to offensive coordinator from 2018-22. He was part of two Super Bowls in Kansas City before heading to Washington and UCLA.

It marks another big hire for new Bears coach Ben Johnson, who has a mix of young up-and-coming coaches with experience. Former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is coming in as defensive coordinator while Denver Broncos tight ends coach Declan Doyle will take over as a first-time offensive coordinator. Johnson plans to call plays for Caleb Williams and the offense.

After UCLA’s season ended, Bieniemy made it clear he planned to return to the NFL. His agent Jason Fletcher said that was his intention after spending a year back at the college level under first-year coach DeShaun Foster.

“Eric and UCLA mutually parted ways today as previously planned,” Fletcher told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero in December. “He’s still getting paid by the Commanders. After interviewing for head coaching jobs last year, he wanted to stay active and busy. So, he decided to go help out Deshaun Foster, who is like his little brother, at UCLA as opposed to sitting out a year. The plan was always to return to the NFL in 2025, and he’s looking forward to the opportunities ahead.”

More on Eric Bieniemy’s addition in Chicago

Eric Bieniemy began his coaching career in 2000 as an assistant coach at the high school level. He jumped to the college game at his alma mater, Colorado, from 2001-02 as running backs coach and headed for his first stint at UCLA from 2003-05 in that same role.

The Minnesota Vikings gave Bieniemy is first NFL opportunity in 2006 and he stayed there until 2010 when he returned to Boulder to become Colorado’s offensive coordinator from 2011-12. That’s when he headed to Kansas City under Reid.

Bieniemy is the latest addition to the Bears’ offensive staff. Along with Doyle as offensive coordinator, former Detroit Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle-El is also taking the same role in Chicago, staying with Johnson. In addition, former Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett will become the Bears’ new quarterbacks coach.