During this offseason, significant changes occurred on the sidelines of the Commanders, with Dan Quinn taking over as head coach from Ron Rivera. Quinn did not retain offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, which left Bieniemy’s coaching future uncertain. However, Bieniemy has found a new opportunity. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel, Bieniemy will be joining UCLA’s staff as the associate head coach/offensive coordinator on a two-year deal. He will work alongside DeShaun Foster, who took over as head coach from Chip Kelly at UCLA. This move marks Bieniemy’s return to NCAA coaching since his time as Colorado’s OC from 2011-12.

This shift also signifies Bieniemy’s return to UCLA, where he previously served as the school’s running backs coach for three seasons. The 54-year-old has been in the NFL since 2013, with successful stints as Kansas City’s RBs coach and offensive coordinator until 2022. He joined Rivera’s Commanders staff with play-calling responsibilities.

The 2023 season for Washington was influenced by the choice to name Sam Howell as the team’s starting quarterback. Although the 2022 fifth-rounder showed promise at times, he was benched mid-game on multiple occasions towards the end of the season. Quinn and the Commanders are now moving forward with new OC Kliff Kingsbury and are likely to draft a new starting quarterback with the No. 2 pick in April’s draft.

Despite his mixed performance in Washington, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz mentioned that Bieniemy attracted interest from several NFL teams for an OC role. He signed a two-year contract with the Commanders, leading some to believe he would take the 2024 season off before deciding on his next step. However, he will now play a crucial role at UCLA as they transition from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten.

The 2024 offseason has seen many college coaches move to lower positions in NFL staff. With seven years of NCAA experience and 16 in the NFL, Bieniemy will buck this trend with his move. Known for his offensive play-designing skills from his time with the Chiefs, where he won two Super Bowl titles, Bieniemy aims to enhance his profile with this college stint before a potential return to the NFL.