“He’s not the problem” - NFL analyst defends Eric Bieniemy’s intensity in riding “soft” Commanders players
Eric Bieniemy's run more than a few training camps in his day, but his new players haven't been through one with the former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator.
It showed when Ron Rivera began fielding complaints from the players and addressed the intensity of the camp publicly this week. Initially, he did less than strongly defend his coordinator and is still taking flak for his comments.
Speaking on First Take, NFL analyst Kimberly A. Martin explained that at first, she had zero sympathy for the players, even calling them "soft." She appeared to walk that back slightly, but remained adamant that Bieniemy should be backed with the full force of Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio. Here's how she put it:
"When I initially heard the comments, my first reaction was like, 'Man, the players sound soft complaining about it, the intensity being really, really high in training camp...' But... Ron Rivera specifically brought Eric Bieniemy to Washington for that culture shock to raise the level of play, because Ron Rivera knew what they did on offense last year wasn't good enough..."
She continued, explaining that a change has come about since the intensity ratcheted up:
"Since those early player complaints, nobody's complaining. Now, the Commanders actually had their best practices of camp on Sunday and Monday... the offense looks better... Here's a guy who has more Super Bowl rings than Jack Del Rio and more than Ron Rivera and we're talking about him like he has to change something. He's not the problem."
Change becomes reality for Eric Bieniemy's Commanders
At the end of last season, pundits, fans, and doubters were yearning for change. Some wanted a new owner. Others wanted a new star added to the coaching staff and at quarterback.
Over the course of the offseason, the Washington Commanders added a star offensive coordinator in Eric Bieniemy from arguably the most respected team in the league. They also swapped owners.
Since the addition of Eric Bieniemy and Josh Harris, change has been sort of a pie-in-the-sky idea. Now, as the players are finding out the hard way, the changes are here after months of anticipation.
As of now, it appears that harder and grittier practices are afoot. However, this could be just the tip of the iceberg for the team of Sam Howell.
With a new owner in town demanding improvement on the investment vehicle he just spent a percent of his net worth on, the intensity will continue to trickle down until even the "Good cop" Ron Rivera is either muted by the Washington Commanders or removed by Bieniemy-esque personnel.
Some players won't survive the transition, but those that do will be stronger for it. Of course, this is all assuming that the NFL gods don't deal more talented opponents or strike down key pieces of the roster at inopportune moments.
If any of the above quotes are used, please credit Good Morning Football and H/T Sportskeeda.