The Chicago Bears have a lot left to play for, as the playoffs officially kick off next weekend. That's the focus in the Windy City, but other teams around the league are starting to prepare for the offseason.
Considering how well the Bears have played this season, there are plenty of assistants on the staff who will garner attention around the league, and running backs coach Eric Bieniemy is already being named.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported on Saturday that if Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy leaves this offseason for another job, Bieniemy is someone to watch out for.
Eric Bieniemy an Option to Re-Join Chiefs This Offseason
Nagy's contract is up with the Chiefs, and he is a candidate for the Tennessee Titans' HC opening. And with a potential opening there in Kansas City, depending on what happens with Nagy, Bieniemy is a familiar face for the Chiefs that might be intriguing. He was in Kansas City from 2013 to 2022, serving roles as a running back coach and offensive coordinator.
Although he didn't call plays, he crafted gameplans for the Chiefs' offense, winning two Super Bowls in the process. After leaving the Chiefs, he spent one year each with the Washington Commanders and then with the UCLA Bruins before joining Ben Johnson's coaching staff in Chicago, helping improve the team's ground attack.
Going into the final week of the season, the Bears are third in the NFL in rushing offense (149.4 yards per game), averaging 4.9 yards per carry to go along with 19 rushing scores. D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai formed a dominant two-headed monster in the backfield. Swift has 1,047 rushing yards, with Monangai not far behind at 769 rushing yards.
This represents a massive improvement from this ground game. In 2024, the Bears ranked 25th in rushing offense (102 yards per game), averaging just four yards per carry. Under Bieniemy's guidance, the rushing attack improved and, as a result, helped strengthen the offense.
Of course, a great deal of credit goes to the revamped offensive line and Ben Johnson's play-calling. Yet, Bieniemy's impact shouldn't go unnoticed. Swift is two yards away from eclipsing his career-high. That's without mentioning Monangai making a meaningful impact as a seventh-round rookie.
The Bears have found plenty of success on the ground and have leaned on their run gameas a result. This production has helped Bieniemy and is making him an option to return to the Chiefs. Kansas City will look to make changes to its staff after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Rapoport and Pelissero added that Bieniemy could bring some new ideas over to the Chiefs, which could be useful for an offense that looked stale at times this season.
While we are weeks away from anything possibly happening, this is something that should be on the radar of fans, as several coaches from the staff will likely be poached over the offseason.