Did racism contribute to Eric Bieniemy failing to get HC gig? Chris Broussard explains in rant against NFL owners
Eric Bieniemy was named the Washington Commanders' new offensive coordinator after leaving the Kansas City Chiefs despite winning two Super Bowls with them.
Bieniemy's name was once again on the list of head coach openings, but he was unable to secure a position. As a result, he opted to leave the Chiefs in order to demonstrate that he can excel even without Andy Reid.
Eric Bieniemy having to leave Kansas City to “prove himself” after WINNING 2 SUPER BOWLS as the Offensive Coordinator is a TRAVESTY. A position coach who wasn’t the Offensive Coordinator and a Special Teams Coach have been hired as Head Coaches in the last 5 years. HOW SWAY?
Many believe Bieniemy's failure to secure an HC job is directly related to the different behavior shown by NFL owners toward people of color, and Chris Broussard also believes racism is certainly a factor. Here's what he said on "First Things First:"
"It's racism, there's nothing else to call it. This last Super Bowl, we had two Black quarterbacks, but starting for the first time ever, how many years most of the overwhelming majority of the NFL’s existence, Blacks were told you're not smart enough to play quarterback, can't play quarterback."
Broussard continued:
"So, now we're being told you really can't coach. In corporate America and in corporate football, hiring in the front office, and hiring head coaches is subjective. There are more people that can do it and the coach is not obvious Guess who's better? Who's going to be better? Who's more qualified?"
He added:
"It's completely subjective, and that's where African Americans get stiffed and that's why the resume I know, it's never been like you have to meet all these qualifications. But the resume is important because I mean, they just hired Jeff Saturday."
Eric Bieniemy has been one of the most successful offensive coordinators in the league for many years, and he has played a critical role in the Kansas City Chiefs' success.
He is severely undermined by the genius of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, which is why Bieniemy believes he can establish his worth in Washington.
Eric Bieniemy needs to work wonders with Commanders
From working with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, Bieniemy will now be working with Ron Rivera as his head coach and Sam Howell as his quarterback. It will be a difficult test for the former Chiefs offensive coordinator, but he believes he can succeed.
When it comes to the NFL’s diversity problem, Eric Bieniemy is just the tip of the iceberg. https://t.co/cdAA6dS0Ee
The Washington Commanders do have many talented players like Terry McLaurin, Brian Robinson Jr., Jahan Dotson, and if Sam Howell continues to play as he did against the Dallas Cowboys, Eric Bieniemy can certainly help them become a great team in the NFC.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit First Things First and H/T Sportskeeda.