Patrick Mahomes defends Eric Bieniemy after criticism: 'One of the greatest coaches of all time'
LeSean McCoy's disparaging remarks about Eric Bieniemy were met with swift backlash. But Bieniemy's most prominent and high-profile supporter came Thursday when two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes gave his former offensive coordinator a rousing endorsement on social media.
“There should be no questions on how great of a man/coach Coach Bienemy is. His leadership has a direct impact on the player/person I am today! 10+ years learning under one of the greatest coaches of all time,” Mahomes said. “And I cannot wait for him to continue to prove doubters wrong!”
Mahomes' endorsement came after McCoy claimed on FOX Sports 1 that Bieniemy had “nothing to do” with the Chiefs passing game and questioned Bieniemy’s value as a coach and coordinator. McCoy, a former NFL running back from 2009-2020, played in Kansas City in 2019 when Bieniemy was the club’s offensive coordinator.
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There should be no questions on how great of a man/coach Coach Bienemy is. His leadership has a direct impact on the player/person i am today! 10+ years learning under one of the greatest coaches of all time.. and i cannot wait for him to continue to prove doubters wrong! 💪🏽 https://t.co/hyCo3Bly9E
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) February 23, 2023
Bieniemy took the high road in response to McCoy’s comments.
“LeSean McCoy is a future Hall of Fame runner, ok. Everybody is entitled to their own position, comments and how they feel. When it’s all said and done with, I think that’s all I have to say. He’s entitled to his own opinion. That’s life. You have good and you have bad," Bieniemy said. "It does not impact me in any way. One thing that you learn when you’re in this position, you have to learn to eliminate distractions. My job is to focus on the now. Everything outside these walls has no impact on Eric Bieniemy moving forward."
Bieniemy was formally introduced as the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator and assistant head coach on Thursday after serving as the Chiefs offensive coordinator from 2018-2022. He helped the Chiefs win two Super Bowls, most recently this season in Super Bowl 57.
Bieniemy has not received a head coaching opportunity in the NFL despite his success.
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TheTylerDragon.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Patrick Mahomes can't wait for Eric Bieniemy to 'prove doubters wrong'
