Colorado Football: Former Buffs RB Eric Bieniemy set to interview with New Orleans Saints

Former Colorado Buffaloes running back Eric Bieniemy is one of the hot topic candidates looking for a head coaching gig in the National Football League. Bieniemy is scheduled to interview for the vacancy at head coach for the New Orleans Saints Sunday after Sean Payton recently retired.

Bieniemy has spent the last four years as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, which hasn’t been a bad gig by any means. He’s been to four-straight AFC Championship Games, made two Super Bowl Appearances, and even one Super Bowl victory.

EB will be the Saints final interviewee before the brass decides who they want to run the team after Payton stepped down. Sean has been a staple in the league for over 15 years with the Saints, winning 10+ games in 9 out of the 15 seasons he coached. Payton and the Saints were Super Bowl Champions in 2009 during his fourth season.

Bieniemy’s Chiefs have ranked in the top five in win percentage each season he has been OC there and have placed in the top five in yards per game in three out of the four seasons (2019 they were 6th). Certainly doesn’t hurt to have Patrick Mahomes as your quarterback and head coach Andy Reid running the show.

From what it sounds like, Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is the so-called favorite to replace Payton in New Orleans. Allen has spent the last seven seasons as New Orlean’s defensive coordinator and was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 2012-14.

So there is some familiarity there.

Bieniemy has spent time on the Buffs coaching staff after his college career. He was the running backs coach for two years in 2001-2002 and was the offensive coordinator for two years in 2011-2012 before taking the running backs gig with the Chiefs in 2013.

EB spent five seasons as the running backs coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018.