UCLA Football Adds Eric Bieniemy to Coaching Staff
March 02, 2024 | Football
LOS ANGELES โ Two-time Super Bowl champion Eric Bieniemy, who has helped orchestrate some of the NFL's most productive offenses, was named associate head coach and offensive coordinator for UCLA football on Saturday.
Bieniemy has 23 years of coaching experience on the collegiate and professional levels, including 16 of the past 18 in the NFL. His hiring also represents a return to Westwood for the former Los Angeles-area prep standout, who coached UCLA's running backs from 2003-05. Bieniemy has reached the pinnacle on both levels, winning two Super Bowls and appearing in three total as a coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, playing in another as a member of the San Diego Chargers and starring for the University of Colorado in its run to a national championship.
"Having one of the most innovative offensive minds in football join our staff speaks volumes to the type of program we are building here at UCLA," said head coach DeShaun Foster. "Coach Bieniemy's belief in our pillars shined throughout our conversations and confirmed he was the right man to not only help us develop an explosive approach on the field, but leaders off of it."
Bieniemy most recently served as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders in 2023. Across the five previous seasons, he guided some of the most prolific offenses in league history while a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City captured the Super Bowl LVII and LIV championships and reached Super Bowl LV during his tenure.
The 2022 Chiefs led the NFL in total yards per game (413.6), passing yards (5,062), scrimmage touchdowns (59) and points per game (29.2) en route to their franchise's third Super Bowl title and second in four years. For the 2021 and 2020 campaigns, Kansas City ranked third or better in first downs (first both years), total yards per game (first in 2020) and yards after catch (first both years) while averaging 28.2 and 29.6 points per game, respectively. The Chiefs finished atop the AFC West each year Bieniemy sat in the offensive coordinator's chair.
The 2019 Super Bowl champions logged top-10 finishes in total yards per game (379.2, sixth), passing yards per game (281.1, fifth), yards per play (6.22, second) and points per game (28.2, fifth). That came on the heels of a 2018 season in which Kansas City scored the third-most points ever, with 565. Patrick Mahomes became just the second quarterback in league history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns, joining Peyton Manning.
The five years prior saw Bieniemy coach the Chiefs running backs. He held the same position for the Minnesota Vikings from 2006-2010. Among his star pupils were Kareem Hunt, Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. Hunt totaled an NFL-high 1,327 rushing yards in 2017, while Charles scored a league-leading 19 total touchdowns in 2013. Taylor piled up 1,216 yards on the ground in 2006, while Peterson eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark each of the next four years. Peterson paced NFL ball carriers with 1,760 rushing yards in 2008. He was presented the Bert Bell Award as the league's best player.
Before embarking on professional coaching, Bieniemy was running backs coach at UCLA for three years, adding the title of recruiting coordinator in 2005. Maurice Jones-Drew registered one of the finest three-year stretches by a Bruin running back under Bieniemy, posting 1,007 rushing yards on 6.3 yards per carry in 2004 and receiving All-America acclaim as a kick returner in 2005. Jones-Drew set the single-game school record with 322 rushing yards at Washington in 2004.
Bieniemy got his start in college coaching at his alma mater, Colorado, in 2001. He had a two-year stint in that role, with the Buffaloes registering a top-10 finish in rushing each year, and later returned to CU for two more years (2011, 2012) as offensive coordinator. Bieniemy was an assistant coach at Denver's Thomas Jefferson High School in 2000.
A 2010 inductee into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame, Bieniemy completed his collegiate career as the program's all-time leader in rushing yards (3,940), carries (699), all-purpose yards (4,351) and scoring (254 points). In 1990, he was tabbed a unanimous All-America pick and Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year while finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting for the Buffaloes, who earned the AP national championship with a record of 11-1-1. Bieniemy went on to be selected in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. His nine-year professional career also included stops in Cincinnati (1995-98) and Philadelphia (1999). Over the course of his 142-game NFL career, Bieniemy rushed for 1.589 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching 146 passes for 1,223 yards. He appeared in Super Bowl XXIX with San Diego.
At Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, Calif., Bieniemy rushed for 2,002 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior, collecting All-America recognition.
Bieniemy and his wife, Mia, have two sons, Eric III and Elijah.
BIENIEMY'S COACHING EXPERIENCE
2000 โ Assistant Coach, Thomas Jefferson HS (Denver)
2001, 2002 โ Running Backs Coach, Colorado
2003, 2004 โ Running Backs Coach, UCLA
2005 โ Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, UCLA
2006-09 โ Running Backs Coach, Minnesota Vikings
2010 โ Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach, Minnesota Vikings
2011, 2012 โ Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach, Colorado
2013-17 โ Running Backs Coach, Kansas City Chiefs
2018-2022 โ Offensive Coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs
2023 โ Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator, Washington Commanders
Bieniemy has 23 years of coaching experience on the collegiate and professional levels, including 16 of the past 18 in the NFL. His hiring also represents a return to Westwood for the former Los Angeles-area prep standout, who coached UCLA's running backs from 2003-05. Bieniemy has reached the pinnacle on both levels, winning two Super Bowls and appearing in three total as a coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, playing in another as a member of the San Diego Chargers and starring for the University of Colorado in its run to a national championship.
"Having one of the most innovative offensive minds in football join our staff speaks volumes to the type of program we are building here at UCLA," said head coach DeShaun Foster. "Coach Bieniemy's belief in our pillars shined throughout our conversations and confirmed he was the right man to not only help us develop an explosive approach on the field, but leaders off of it."
Bieniemy most recently served as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders in 2023. Across the five previous seasons, he guided some of the most prolific offenses in league history while a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City captured the Super Bowl LVII and LIV championships and reached Super Bowl LV during his tenure.
The 2022 Chiefs led the NFL in total yards per game (413.6), passing yards (5,062), scrimmage touchdowns (59) and points per game (29.2) en route to their franchise's third Super Bowl title and second in four years. For the 2021 and 2020 campaigns, Kansas City ranked third or better in first downs (first both years), total yards per game (first in 2020) and yards after catch (first both years) while averaging 28.2 and 29.6 points per game, respectively. The Chiefs finished atop the AFC West each year Bieniemy sat in the offensive coordinator's chair.
The 2019 Super Bowl champions logged top-10 finishes in total yards per game (379.2, sixth), passing yards per game (281.1, fifth), yards per play (6.22, second) and points per game (28.2, fifth). That came on the heels of a 2018 season in which Kansas City scored the third-most points ever, with 565. Patrick Mahomes became just the second quarterback in league history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns, joining Peyton Manning.
The five years prior saw Bieniemy coach the Chiefs running backs. He held the same position for the Minnesota Vikings from 2006-2010. Among his star pupils were Kareem Hunt, Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. Hunt totaled an NFL-high 1,327 rushing yards in 2017, while Charles scored a league-leading 19 total touchdowns in 2013. Taylor piled up 1,216 yards on the ground in 2006, while Peterson eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark each of the next four years. Peterson paced NFL ball carriers with 1,760 rushing yards in 2008. He was presented the Bert Bell Award as the league's best player.
Before embarking on professional coaching, Bieniemy was running backs coach at UCLA for three years, adding the title of recruiting coordinator in 2005. Maurice Jones-Drew registered one of the finest three-year stretches by a Bruin running back under Bieniemy, posting 1,007 rushing yards on 6.3 yards per carry in 2004 and receiving All-America acclaim as a kick returner in 2005. Jones-Drew set the single-game school record with 322 rushing yards at Washington in 2004.
Bieniemy got his start in college coaching at his alma mater, Colorado, in 2001. He had a two-year stint in that role, with the Buffaloes registering a top-10 finish in rushing each year, and later returned to CU for two more years (2011, 2012) as offensive coordinator. Bieniemy was an assistant coach at Denver's Thomas Jefferson High School in 2000.
A 2010 inductee into the CU Athletic Hall of Fame, Bieniemy completed his collegiate career as the program's all-time leader in rushing yards (3,940), carries (699), all-purpose yards (4,351) and scoring (254 points). In 1990, he was tabbed a unanimous All-America pick and Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year while finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting for the Buffaloes, who earned the AP national championship with a record of 11-1-1. Bieniemy went on to be selected in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers. His nine-year professional career also included stops in Cincinnati (1995-98) and Philadelphia (1999). Over the course of his 142-game NFL career, Bieniemy rushed for 1.589 yards and 11 touchdowns while catching 146 passes for 1,223 yards. He appeared in Super Bowl XXIX with San Diego.
At Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, Calif., Bieniemy rushed for 2,002 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior, collecting All-America recognition.
Bieniemy and his wife, Mia, have two sons, Eric III and Elijah.
BIENIEMY'S COACHING EXPERIENCE
2000 โ Assistant Coach, Thomas Jefferson HS (Denver)
2001, 2002 โ Running Backs Coach, Colorado
2003, 2004 โ Running Backs Coach, UCLA
2005 โ Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, UCLA
2006-09 โ Running Backs Coach, Minnesota Vikings
2010 โ Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach, Minnesota Vikings
2011, 2012 โ Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Coach, Colorado
2013-17 โ Running Backs Coach, Kansas City Chiefs
2018-2022 โ Offensive Coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs
2023 โ Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator, Washington Commanders
UCLA Football Media Availability - Players (Nov. 4, 2025)
Tuesday, November 04
UCLA Football Media Availability - Coach Skipper (Nov. 3, 2025)
Monday, November 03
UCLA Football Media Availability - Players (Oct. 29, 2025)
Wednesday, October 29
UCLA Football Media Availability - Coach Skipper (Oct. 27, 2025)
Monday, October 27