Eric Bieniemy's first season in Washington has forced Commanders players to adjust.
It's Bieniemy's first opportunity to prove himself outside of the shadow of Andy Reid in Kansas City, and his eagerness is visible in his intensity. Some of his players haven't taken too kindly to it, according to coach Ron Rivera.
"Yeah, they have," Rivera said Tuesday when asked if players have struggled to adapt to Bieniemy's coaching style. "And one of the biggest things is -- I had a number of guys come to me and I said, 'Hey, just go talk to him.' I said, 'Understand what he's trying to get across to you.' I think as they go and they talk and they listen to him, it's been enlightening for a lot of these guys.
"I mean, it's a whole different approach. Again, you're getting a different kind of player from the players back in the past, especially in light of how things are coming out of college football. So a lot of these young guys, they do struggle with certain things and a lot of it ... is from where they've been. I mean, guys coming from certain programs are used to it. Guys coming from other programs aren't as much. So, us as a coach, I kind of have to assimilate and get a feel for everybody. Eric has an approach and it's the way he does things and it's not going to change because he believes in it."
A change in staff will always present differences from past to present, to which players must adjust. Coaches don't come from central casting; each arrives with their own unique path, filled with experiences and lessons that often show in their style. Bieniemy's, to which Rivera alluded, comes from decades spent in the game as a star running back at the University of Colorado and a nine-year NFL veteran, and then as a coach with 23 years of experience between collegiate and NFL stops.
Bieniemy matured in a different era of football as a player and young assistant. He's been around the game for decades. His style isn't going to mesh with today's group of players effortlessly, but as one of his former star pass catchers was quick to point out on social media, it's worth following Bieniemy's lead.
"Man there is no other coach that has your back like EB!!" former Chiefs and current Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill posted Tuesday. "Take that coaching and get better we all been through … it's tough but I promise you it will make you better."
Bieniemy has heard the complaints and isn't stubbornly ignoring them, but he's also not going to transform into a coach who spends individual periods resting and chatting when there's work to accomplish. This is, after all, a Washington team that is attempting to dig itself out of the bottom half of last year's offensive rankings.
"First of all, one thing I am, I'm an open book and I always invite players in, but also too, as I've gone through this process, yes, I am intense," Bieniemy admitted Tuesday. "One thing they do appreciate is this: I'm always going to be upfront and I'm always going to be honest.
"Just like I stated when I first got here: We've all got to get uncomfortable to get comfortable. There's some new demands and expectations that I expect. I expect us to be the team that we're supposed to be. It's not gonna be easy, and everybody ain't gonna like the process. But when it's all said and done with, my job is to make sure that we're doing it the right way.
"There's a way to do it. Now, do they understand that? Yes, 'cause they're seeing the results. Will everybody buy in? I believe so. But if not, it's OK, because you know what? My No. 1 job is to help take these guys to another level, and I can see it. Because when you think about where we started in the spring to where we are right now, we're making a lot of strides. I'm proud of these guys. It's been some -- excuse my language -- some good s--- to watch."
Washington has the talent to become an effective offense.
Much of it depends on the ability of second-year quarterback Sam Howell, but the Commanders also built in a backup plan with the addition of veteran Jacoby Brissett. Regardless of who's playing quarterback, there are enough weapons in this group -- Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Jahan Dotson and Brian Robinson, to name a few -- to succeed.
Bieniemy has reason to remain confident he's doing his job properly. Even with room for adjustment on Bieniemy's part, he wouldn't have earned the opportunity if his style hadn't been successful elsewhere in the past. The proof is in the results he's already posted.
Now, it's about implementing the lessons he's learned with a team that could use a boost offensively, especially in a season in which Rivera needs to succeed to keep his job.
"With the group, I'm always going to remain the same," Bieniemy said. "I'm always going to be loud and I'm always going to be vocal. I'm always going to demand from my leaders. But on top of that, I'm watching everything: body language, how we address in the huddle, how we're getting up to the line of scrimmage, how we're presenting ourselves. Those things are important because you've got to send a message to the defense. So I want our guys to clearly understand that we're not taking anything for granted."
If Bieniemy's approach works, all of the strain of camp will have been worth it. Bieniemy undoubtedly believes this to be true -- even if he's already had to listen to some negative feedback from his pupils.
"Eric Bieniemy is who he is. Eric Bieniemy knows how to adapt and adjust," he said. "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 gonna support them at all times."
