Underqualified candidate did Arizona Cardinals a favor
By Jim Koch
The fact that the Arizona Cardinals were turned down by NFL assistant Eric Bieniemy may actually be a blessing in disguise
Things are exciting down at Arizona Cardinals headquarters these days. The hunt for a new head coach has brought fresh hope to a floundering franchise. Cards’ team President Michael Bidwill has promised the team’s fans that the front office will be sure to get it right this time around.
One candidate who apparently won’t be taking the gig is the Kansas City Chiefs’ Eric Bieniemy. It’s been reported that K.C.’s offensive coordinator has no interest in coaching in the desert. The 49-year old accepted interview requests from the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets, but quickly rejected the Cardinals’ invitation.
No matter how you analyze it, Bieniemy’s refusal to meet with Arizona is insulting. Are the four other oppurtunities that the assistant would be willing to accept that much better? The answer to that question is a resounding no.
Bidwill has stated that the Cards’ job is the most attractive of the eight head posts that are currently available. He certainly makes a good point, considering the fact that the club owns the first-overall pick in the 2019 draft. The Cardinals also have roughly $65 million in salary-cap space to work with, and also possess an up and coming quarterback named Josh Rosen.
In retrospect, Bieniemy may have done the organization and it’s fans a huge favor by turning them down. The Andy Reid protege would be getting a significant promotion, despite the fact that he’s been a coordinator for just one measly season. Besides that, Bieniemy doesn’t even handle the Chiefs’ play-calling duties, that aspect of the offense is handled by Reid.
Coaches the Cardinals should not hire. dark. Next
In closing, Bieniemy’s snub may have steered Arizona away from another disastrous hire. What the club doesn’t need is another underqualified individual being installed as it’s next head coach. That’s a mistake that Bidwill and the Cards can ill afford to make at this time.