Super Bowl 2021: Eric Bieniemy focused on beating Bucs, not head coaching jobs . . . until Monday

Eric Bieniemy isn’t concerning himself with why he repeatedly gets passed over for NFL head coaching jobs. He’ll start thinking about that next week.

Right now, Kansas City offensive coordinator is laser focused on preparing his group to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Todd Bowles’ defense in Super Bowl LV.

"My focus is making sure that Kansas City is ready to play and we’re going out there to take care of business," Bieniemy said in a Zoom call Tuesday. "I’ll handle Eric Bieniemy’s business on Monday, sometime Monday evening or even Tuesday after I take a nap or a nice long night of sleep."

This is now three consecutive years that Bieniemy has been interviewed for head coaching vacancies, and he’s yet to receive a job. There have been 20 coaching jobs open up in that time.

The Jets interviewed Bieniemy in 2019 before hiring Adam Gase and this year before choosing Robert Saleh. Bieniemy interviewed for all seven vacancies this offseason.

""I learned a long time ago about how to persevere during adversity," Bieniemy said. "But the beauty of it is it’s not so much that I have to persevere, that’s going to take care of itself. It’s making sure that whatever is taking place with Eric Bieniemy isn’t becoming a distraction in us pursuing our dreams and our goals."

Kansas City coach Andy Reid said he spoke to the executives from teams that requested permission to speak to Bieniemy, and will circle back with them.

"I’ll be curious to hear their comments about how he did or why he wasn’t picked," Reid said. "Eric Bieniemy works his tail off. He’s relentless in studying the game. He’s relentless in studying what would be his plan as a head football coach.

"I would just tell you whoever gets him whenever they get him will be very, very lucky."

Bieniemy has been with Reid since he took the helm in Kansas City in 2013. Bieniemy served five years as running backs coach and the last three years as offensive coordinator.

In those three seasons, Kansas City has finished in the top six in total offense and scoring offense. But Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes get all the credit. Reid is the primary play-caller but Bieniemy calls plays and has plenty of input.

The upside for Bieniemy is he continues to work for a top organization that is going for its second straight Super Bowl victory and has a chance to contend every year. Although his players believe Bieniemy deserves a job, they’re happy he’s not going anywhere.

"All these teams that keep passing up on him are really losing out on an unbelievable coach, an unbelievable man and somebody who’s going to change the culture of their team," tight end Travis Kelce said. "I’ll just reap the benefits of him staying here and keep trying to win Super Bowls with him."