Former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is heading back to college and will join the staff of new head coach DeShaun Foster at UCLA, he confirmed to ESPN.
ESPN reported that Bienemy, who also was the offensive coordinator on Andy Reid’s staff with the Kansas City Chiefs, is finalizing a two-year deal to both serve the same post and become the associate head coach at UCLA.
The move represents a homecoming for Bieniemy, who grew up in the area and was a Bruins assistant from 2003-05.
“Southern California,” Bieniemy wrote in an email to ESPN on Saturday. “I attended high school there. I started my career in the league here (with the Chargers). It’s obviously great to be back with the Bruins, where I was previously employed.”
Bieniemy, 54, also addressed Foster, who became the 19th football coach in UCLA history on Feb. 12. Foster, 44, replaced Chip Kelly, who departed to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.
“This is a great opportunity for me to help support DeShaun as a head coach, to work with him and to work for him as well,” Bieniemy wrote. “My goal is to help him to be a successful head coach in our profession.”
Foster, a first-time head coach, takes over a program that finished 8-5 last season under Kelly, including 4-5 in the Pac-12. The Bruins move into the Big Ten Conference this fall.
Bieniemy served as the offensive coordinator with the Commanders for one season and he told ESPN he “chose not to stay” in Washington. New head coach Dan Quinn hired former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury for the job.
Previously, Bieniemy spent 2013-17 as the Chiefs’ running backs coach before being elevated to the team’s offensive coordinator in 2018. Reid remained the Chiefs’ offensive play-caller.
Bieniemy had several interviews for head-coaching positions but was never offered a job. After the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win over the Philadelphia Eagles last year, he accepted the Washington position as an opportunity to build his own staff and call plays.
The Commanders went 4-13 in 2023, ending on an eight-game losing streak. Head coach Ron Rivera was fired at season’s end.
Bieniemy also served as offensive coordinator at Colorado, his alma mater, from 2011-12.
The Bruins are set to begin the 2024 season Aug. 31 at Hawaii, then host Big Ten opponent Indiana on Sept. 14.
