The Chicago Bears have already made some notable additions to new head coach Ben Johnson’s staff for the 2025 NFL season. Now, one of Patrick Mahomes’ early mentors could be next. On January 28, the Bears officially announced Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator, Dennis Allen as defensive coordinator, and Richard Hightower as special teams coordinator. However, reports of additional assistant coaching hires have also generated excitement. The latest rumored addition, though, might be the most intriguing of all.
According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, the Bears are set to hire former Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as their running backs coach for the 2025 season. Bieniemy is currently serving as UCLA’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. He gained recognition as a rising offensive strategist under Andy Reid, starting in 2013 as Kansas City’s running backs coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018. His work with Mahomes—who earned two MVPs and five Pro Bowl selections during their time together—helped Bieniemy land head coaching interviews before taking the Commanders’ OC role, along with an assistant head coach title, in 2023.
Before his time with Mahomes, Bieniemy also coached another NFL legend, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, during his first four seasons. Under Bieniemy’s guidance, Peterson recorded four of the top six seasons of his 15-year career, averaging 1,445 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns per season while earning Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors each year.
Bieniemy’s extensive coaching experience should be valuable to first-time head coach Johnson as he navigates his inaugural season. His presence could also have a significant impact on returning Bears running backs D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson—along with any potential rookie addition from the talent-rich 2025 draft class.
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