Eric Bieniemy
Eric Bieniemy Jr. (bee-EN-uh-me; born August 15, 1969) is an American football coach and former running back who is the associate head coach and offensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins. He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes and is their all-time leader in rushing yards (3,940) and touchdowns (42). Bieniemy was also named a unanimous All-American and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting during their national championship season in 1990.
Bieniemy with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021 | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Associate head coach / offensive coordinator |
| Team | UCLA Bruins |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | August 15, 1969 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Colorado Boulder |
| Playing career | |
| 1987–1990 | Colorado |
| 1991–1994 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1995–1998 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1999 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Position(s) | Running back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2000 | Thomas Jefferson HS (Assistant coach) |
| 2001–2002 | Colorado (RB) |
| 2003–2004 | UCLA (RB) |
| 2005 | UCLA (RB/recruiting coordinator) |
| 2006–2009 | Minnesota Vikings (RB) |
| 2010 | Minnesota Vikings (Assistant HC/RB) |
| 2011–2012 | Colorado (OC) |
| 2013–2017 | Kansas City Chiefs (RB) |
| 2018–2022 | Kansas City Chiefs (OC) |
| 2023 | Washington Commanders (Assistant HC/OC) |
| 2024–present | UCLA (Associate HC/OC) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| |
| Awards | |
Bieniemy was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft, later playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles primarily as a special teamer before returning to Colorado in the early 2000s to finish his degree. Following that, he was hired as the school's running backs coach and later coached for the UCLA Bruins and the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, helping develop players such as Maurice Jones-Drew and Adrian Peterson.
Bieniemy was Colorado's offensive coordinator for two seasons prior to joining the Kansas City Chiefs as running backs coach in 2013. He was credited in the development of Jamaal Charles and Kareem Hunt, with the latter leading the NFL in rushing yards as a rookie in 2017. He was promoted to offensive coordinator under head coach Andy Reid in 2018, winning Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LVII with the Chiefs. Bieniemy served the 2023 season with the Washington Commanders as their assistant head coach and offensive coordinator before rejoining UCLA in the same position the following year.