1-on-1 with Coach Eric Bieniemy | Episode 84

impacting the commander's offense. Eric B. Enemy certainly commands the room and you were kind of hanging on every single word that he was saying. Fred. It shows that things will be different, YEA, not only different, more exciting. He said, I want a couple of things from my offense. I want them to be fast, unpredictable, and we're gonna have fun doing it. That also tells me that he's gonna make sure everybody knows the plan of attack in dn

they attack. And you got to love that as an offensive player like I love it, and I'm a defensive player for a long time. The one weakness is why do we run the place? You run the plays and connecting the place. I think we got something here and if you're a part of this fan base. You gotta be feeling good right about that. Both of you have familiarity with him, playing against him, with them underneath them.

You know it goes back. But Logan, what would you say the biggest thing is that you kind of learned from what he's going to bring to Washington. Yeah. I think the thing that's most exciting It came across in the press conference too, is like the way he commands the room and his attention to detail. Like he mentioned that in the presser. You see that in how that Kansas City Office execally had been watching a lot of

Kansas City film. They are very detail oriented in what they do, and I think that's something that was maybe lack here could have been improved on or the last couple of seasons. So can't wait to get that here because the detailed offense is a dangerous offense. And really excited he's gonna bring that mantaility when you brought that up. I actually had the pleasure of practicing against him for a whole entire year when I was in Minnesota, and the one thing he knew about me I don't like

to give up favor routes. So he started running comebacks hit me right, So Dean, I say, coach, why are you running these comeback? He say, because you played too high? So he will legists. I've had time to go to war with him. I know where his mind frame is, and I know how he thinks. And this attack, attack, attack, and that's what you want on our field. You know, if I was a player sitting in that front row,

I would say, Okay. The biggest message came is that he wants to know who I am as a player, as an individual, and then how to put me in the best situation to sixteed. But he says he's really big on accountability and when you're too comfortable, that can lead to trouble, which is why he took this job. Logan, Yeah, I mean I think that's you know, like friend and

I we're talking about this. This This is not a perfect job by an instruction of imagination, but it's an opportunity for him to kind of prove it right, get to know these players, emphasize these skill sets, and I think that's exciting. That's an exciting opportunity for a guy who wants to challenge himself and make himself better. Fred. Look, he said he's been quite busy over the last few weeks.

I was gonna believe right, yeah, that when it does come to evaluating now his offense, what's the first step? The first step, we said, you know what, I have all these guys on the outside. We need to get the inside together. We need the guys. This smell like bacon. When I go to the grocery store, I go to the bacon six and first, all right, you know why because I need that defense. And you look at the Super Bowl contenders. It was the number one in number

two outfense and defensive lines. All right, if you want to eat in this league, you've got to push people around stores with the big guests. Starts from the inside out. And he was very clear to say that you have to go to protect the quarterback. He doesn't want his quarterback to be hit. As a player, he didn't want that. As a coach, he doesn't want that. So look, the evaluations will begin soon enough. But let's give him a

little chimp to catch you brown. Patient, be patient. Plus, I sat down with the enemy to discuss his move to Washington and the commander's young offensive weapons. Welcome, Thank you, thank you very much. First impression so far of what is going to be your new home and your new family, because you've already had the opportunity to meet some of your players, evaluate some of the staff now the media very impressed. Obviously. I've known Coach Rivera for a number

of years. He's a great man, a man of integrity, He's an outstanding leader of men, and I'm just grateful to have this opportunity working with him, and then having an opportunity to getting to know Martin Mayhew, you know over the years as Stokes over the years, and then Jason Wright, He's from the same neck of the woods that I grew up in southern California. And then Marty Hearney. A lot of people don't notice Marty Hernie was on

that staff. I think that he was a director of player of personnel at the time when I was drafted by the San Diego Charges, So our relationship goes back to nineteen ninety one. So it feels good being in an environment with people that you know, but also good people who are professional men that understand what it takes to build a winner. You know, when head coach Arono Rivera first started this, he wanted something different to run

this offense because there's so much talent. And I know we don't like to talk too much about potential, but there's a lot of potential there now. We Your success is very well documented and you're not wearing your Super Bowl rings right now flashing them, but you have every

right to stand problem the accomplishments you have. What makes you though the right guy for this job here in DC, Well, what makes me the right guy is the leadership that I'm going to bring on top of that, holding guys to the highest standard, getting them to understand the importance of being accountable. I think that goes a very long way.

On top of that, just understanding what consistent and discipline behavior is, and you've got to be willing to work at it every single day, and then willing to sacrifice and what I mean sacrifice, It ain't necessarily given up something is what are you willing to do to make the next man better? And so once you start building that and start getting guys to understand the importance of those terms and they start living it, now you have

an opportunity to be as successful as you want. Because a part of that is making sure you're building a cohesive unit and If you get a cohesive unit that believing each other and play for each other, those guys are double out and be great. Because the talent is here, everybody wants to know what kind of system you'll run, and you've worked with a lot of different quarterbacks as as Andy Reid to where maybe the system isn't necessarily always the exact same. You look at the talent you

have here, like, what is going to be different? What can we expect from the system and the plays you will call? Well, I think more than anything, it's just utilizing the guys and allowing them to be themselves because you always want their personalities to show, but just putting them in the best situation so they can be the best player that they could be to give us the great you know, a great deal of success. So it's

it's a system just like everybody else's. We're gonna run it, we're gonna throw it, but when it's all said done, we're gonna be flexible and creative with it, and we're gonna allow these guys to let their personalities show and be the very best to who they need to be. Kansas City, you had Patrick Mahomes and a great situation right there, and a lot of success with probably much more still to come. There are time's not done yet,

Oh not at all. Everybody who was sitting here for years saying you need to be a head coach than your resume would speak for that. So why leave Kansas City now? And for here? It's been an amazing ride. I've been in for ten years. Not everybody can say it's been in one place for ten years. And throughout that ten years we've had a great deal of success. My last five years there as the Office of coordinated, we went five AFC Championship games with the three Super

Bowls we won two. Okay, So, just like I said my press conference, comfort can become the enemy of progress, and sometimes you just want to do something new and it's about embracing the challenge. I've never ran away from

a challenge, So what is the challenge here? Then? The challenge is getting these guys that believe in who they are and getting these guys to understand that if you want something bad enough, you got to be willing to work at it every single day, invest in it, investing each other, but also making sure that you can stay focused on the prize. And that's a hard task. It's a very challenging task. A lot of it starts with

the quarterback. As we've seen, we've heard this team has not had a lot of stability, still trying to really find that number one QB being a veteran that they potentially bring under Sam Howell coming in here and coach Riveria has been quick to say they're going to give him every opportunity to be that guy. From what you know of Courts and even Pat Mahomes you know as well, always will come in had to like learn, develop and

grow into being who we know him as today. What do you see in Howell and what is it you want out of him to where he could be that guy to lead this team. Well, first of all, you see a guy who can make a number of throws. We had an opportunity to evaluate him coming out when he came out of North Carolina. On top of that, I had a bunch of inside information with people who coaches and work at the University of North Carolina. So I feel like I know the kid, but the kid

just has something about it. But you always want to create competition to bring the very best out of each player. So I think Sam has an opportunity to be the number one guy. Yes, he does, but you want to create a competitive environment, so nobody's taking anything for granted, because when it's all saying done, we want to make sure that our guys are being at their best when

their best is needed. We'll see what he has to offer during the offseason, and that's when you can really get into the evaluations to see what this team kind of needs to be successful. But you're already a little familiar with the running backs, the receivers, the offensive line. Being a running back yourself, do you fall to the mentality of run first. I'll say this, We're gonna do whatever it takes to win, and when it's all said

and done, we're gonna play complimentary football. We want our guys to not fall into the idea that, hey, we have to do this. No, we got to do whatever it takes to win. That's the most important thing. So yes we will run it, and yes we will throw it. But when it's all said and done, what we're gonna do whatever it is needed to help us to accomplish a goal. You've been around some of the best talent in the game. When you do evaluate this roster and

I know it's still early. What is that potential? Do you dare talk about that potential? I think you have to be careful with that, And like I said, I'm still going through the evaluation process. But I also have to say, as a fan, because I'm still a fan of football and a number of these guys I've had an opportunity value when they came out of college, you

can't help be a fan of the young talent here. Now, I just got to make sure that we're putting it together the right way and giving these guys the best opportunity to be successful. But that's a part of the evaluation process as well. So I got to make sure that I go back and take a look at every position, making sure that I can have a set plan and put it together the right way for these particular players.

So we talk a lot about you taking over as offensive coordinator, but a big part of this job as your assistant head coach. What does that mean? Well, it means a lot. And here's the thing me and Coach Ryan is still working through all the different responsibilities that he's going to give me. And I say this and

not that I'm dodging the question. It has been a whirlwind tour, going from the super Bowl to the parade, then coming out here for a number of days, flying back, and then packing up an office of ten years worth of stuff, which is good, but when you have ten years worth the stuff, it could be a bad thing too. So there'll be a few boxes outside. So but my job is to make sure that whatever Coach Ryan has a store for me, it's gonna work out in a

beneficial way. Yeah, I've heard a lot of different stories on your coaching style and how verbal and choice of words and the you know, the alpha of alpha's. It's just rumors. So how would you How would you describe that? Because my understanding is is it can be intense and for a good reason. Well, a part of it is getting to know the players, Okay, And my job is to make sure that I'm continue to develop the relationships. And so the way I like the terms that I

coach hard, but I coach fair. I'm gonna be your biggest advocate. But on top of that, okay, i'm gonna be your harshest critic. But nothing's coming from a personal attack. One thing I'm attacking is attacking that particular issue that I think that you could have done a better job of and we're being accountable to one another. They don't know to learn that. Hey, you know what, I got to be better in that particular situation. But there's a place in time for that, and you pick and choose

your own moments. But sometimes it might just be like, hey, you can just look at a player and then look back. Yeah, coach, I screwed that one up, and that's all that needs to be saying. I'm looking forward to seeing that coaching style come to place as we do get into off season and training camp and eventually next season as well.

You're a player, do you remember your last touchdown? That's a good question, you know what not as you say that was it against U the Washington Yeah, yeah, that's when I was playing to fill it now that I think about it, that was Donovan's rookie year. Huh. Let's bringing everything full strong, all right, may Can we appreciate your time. We look forward to getting to know you over over the months to come. Well, I appreciate it, Thank you, Thank you, thank you for all your Commander's

news and analysis. Be sure to tune into Command Center weeknights at five and ten pm. On NBC Sports Washington. You can also stream on YouTube and commanders dot com