STEELERS CONSIDERING ERIC BIENIEMY FOR PASS GAME COORDINATOR ROLE
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been actively exploring their options for quarterbacks this offseason, but they have also been linked to potential assistant coaches. One name that has come up is Eric Bieniemy, who is being considered for the team’s pass game coordinator position.
Alan Saunders of Steelers Now believes that Bieniemy would be the ideal candidate for the role. Despite a somewhat disappointing season with the Washington Commanders, Saunders highlights Bieniemy’s expertise in the passing game and suggests that he could help improve the Steelers’ offensive unit.
Saunders argues that instead of looking to coaches from the Kyle Shanahan or Sean McVay coaching tree, the Steelers should consider a former assistant of a coach who has reached the Super Bowl multiple times. Bieniemy, who has a connection to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, fits the bill perfectly.
This suggestion comes shortly after reports that the Steelers were interviewing candidates for an offensive assistant role. Among the candidates were Tom Arth, Charles London, and Zach Azzani. While all three have experience as passing game coordinators, Saunders believes that Bieniemy would be a better fit for the Steelers.
Although Bieniemy’s tenure with the Washington Commanders did not yield impressive results, his time with the Kansas City Chiefs was much more successful. As the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator, Bieniemy consistently led the team to top rankings in yards and points from 2018 to 2022.
While it’s true that having Patrick Mahomes as the quarterback and Andy Reid as the head coach played a significant role in the Chiefs’ success, Saunders argues that Bieniemy’s experience and influence could greatly benefit the Steelers’ passing game.
With 16 years of NFL coaching experience, including a decade with the Chiefs, Bieniemy has a wealth of knowledge and expertise that could be invaluable to the Steelers. If hired, he could be the key to helping the team take a significant step forward in their passing game in the upcoming season.
Saunders didn’t stop at Bieniemy. He also suggested Hines Ward for the team’s open wide receiver position and Mike Vrabel for a senior defensive assistant role.
Saunders isn’t the first to float the Steelers as a landing spot for either coach. Steelers Depot’s Joe Clark and AtoZ Sports’ Rob Gregson both connected Ward to the Steelers after The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported on February 5 that the team was not retaining wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson.
“One name on the market that will surely be linked to Pittsburgh is former Steelers wideout Hines Ward, who was replaced as head coach of the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas and was an offensive intern with the Steelers in 2017,” Clark wrote. “He also served as an offensive assistant for the New York Jets and wide receivers coach at FAU.”
Both Strackbein and Stephen Thompson of All Steelers Talk argued for the Steelers to hire Mike Vrabel on February 2.
“It’s a pretty one-way street there. If Mike Vrabel wants to come, the Steelers should want him to come,” Thompson said. “I don’t know how much an assistant like that would get paid or anything.
“But I think you almost write him a blank check and say, ‘Yeah, we’d love to have you here.’”
Furthermore, on February 4, Steelers Now’s Nick Farabaugh argued that the Steelers should consider hiring Pep Hamilton.
Clearly, there’s no shortage of coaches the media considers a candidate for Pittsburgh.
Steelers Depot’s official X (formerly Twitter) account made a joke about that fact on February 5.
“So, it seems like the consensus is that the Steelers should have a 53-man coaching staff.”
To be fair, the Steelers have traditionally featured one of the smallest coaching staffs in the NFL. The team is overdue for staff expansion.
Whether it should happen with big-named additions, though, is another debate. Dave Holcomb
