Bieniemy’s rough style is grating
Eric Bieniemy left Andy Reid’s shadow in Kansas City this offseason and finally has total control of an offense as the coordinator in Washington.
But there has been an interesting development through nine weeks of the offseason program and two-plus weeks of training camp — many players don’t seem to like him.
Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said last week that several players came to him to complain about Bieniemy’s tough coaching style.
“Well, um, they were just a little concerned,” Rivera said. “I had a number of guys come to me and I said, ‘Hey, just go talk to him. Understand what he’s trying to get across to you.’ ”
Bieniemy isn’t apologizing for his style, which can be a little rough around the edges.
“Yes, I am intense,” he said. “Just like I stated when I first got here, we all got to get uncomfortable to get comfortable. There’s some new demands and expectations that I expect.”
“Eric Bieniemy is who he is. Eric Bieniemy knows how to adapt and adjust. Eric Bieniemy is a tough, hard-nosed coach.
“But also understand, I’m going to be their biggest and harshest critic, but I’m also their No. 1 fan because I’ve got their back and I’m going to support them at all times.”
Well, his players don’t seem to think he has their back. Bieniemy probably should dial down the intensity a tad and make his criticism a little more constructive if he wants to succeed this year and put himself in the running for head coach jobs.
Extra points
The NFL is holding its signature event in Las Vegas for the first time when this February’s Super Bowl comes to Allegiant Stadium, but the NFL is also quietly receding from Sin City for the time being. After holding the East-West Shrine Bowl at Allegiant the last two years, the game is moving to The Star in Frisco, Texas in 2024. The Pro Bowl is moving to Orlando next February after spending the last two years in Vegas. One league source said the NFL was wary of the mixed message it was sending about taking gambling violations seriously but hosting key league events in Vegas, particularly a college all-star game in which the players don’t yet know the NFL’s gambling policies . . . The first 20 minutes of “Hard Knocks” was entertaining, but the show dragged on as it became an Aaron Rodgers infomercial that provided little insight into the team. The real problem with the first episode was that the Jets violated the “fourth wall” too often — everyone was uber aware of the cameras and microphones, eliminating any pretense of spontaneity. It was a hype video, not a reality show . . . Most starting quarterbacks sit out of the first preseason game, but Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence and Russell Wilson are among those slated to play a series or two this weekend . . . Former Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs got a gift last week when prosecutors agreed to a plea deal of 3-10 years in jail for a 2021 car accident in which he slammed into a car and killed a woman. Ruggs was driving as fast as 156 miles per hour moments before the crash, and his blood alcohol content was double the legal limit (0.16), but his defense team highlighted issues in how authorities collected Ruggs’s blood and determined he was impaired. The original charges had Ruggs facing more than 50 years in jail. “I have no excuse and pray that accepting responsibility with my guilty plea can allow me to begin the healing process and allow everyone involved to heal also,” he said in court, via the New York Times . . . Brian Hoyer has a trick for lasting 15 NFL seasons until age 37 — take care of your feet. “I actually have a guy who makes some custom turf shoes for me, and it’s something that’s really helped me really since I was in San Francisco,” Hoyer said recently. “It was actually Kyle Shanahan’s idea because he’s always talking about having a good base underneath you. And it’s just something I’ve taken with me. I think it forces me not to overextend, overstride, but also it’s a little more cushion instead of these hard cleats all the time.”