Tag: Brian Mitchell former Redskins RB

Andy Reid: Commanders ‘are getting juice’ with Bieniemy

Andy Reid hated losing Beiniemy but wants him to land a head-coaching job. He believes he and Ron Rivera will work well together.

“I can brag on him (Eric Bieniemy) all day,” said Andy Reid opening his time with Brian Mitchell and JP Finlay on 106.7 The Fan Tuesday.

Reid, former Philadelphia Eagles coach, and current Kansas City Chiefs head coach has coached in four Super Bowls, winning two. Mitchell upfront praised Reid as someone who worked to understand his players.

Finlay was direct asking why would a successful offensive coordinator like Bieniemy leave Reid, Patrick Mahomes Travis Kelcie and winning Super Bowls to take the Commanders offensive coordinator’s job?

Reid replied that he and Bieniemy talked often, keeping the communications line open. “I’m not telling you I wanted to lose him to Washington, but at the same time, you want what is best for your guys.”

Reid expressed Bieniemy has worked hard towards the opportunity for a head coach job, but it hasn’t yet worked out, “some of it was because I think of the shadow I cast. And we talked about it. This gives him an opportunity to run his show.”

“I told EB if he could get with a defensive head coach, then normally what they are going to do is let you run with it (offense). That is what he is going to be able to do. That way he puts his name on it. There is no more Andy Reid on the sideline. It is all about EB, and he deserves that opportunity.”

“He will work great with Ron; Ron is phenomenal. They are two different personality types, but both of them love ball and both of them can teach.”

Mitchell inquired regarding what he called “the myth” that Bieniemy doesn’t get along with his players. Reid agreed, “Yes, you need some juice in this thing. That is what the Commanders are getting; they are getting juice with EB. He loves his players.”

“He is going to tell them when they are doing good and when they are not doing good. He is going to teach them how to do better when they screw up. I think every player wants this, and that is how he operates. He is going to come at you. He is going to challenge you. That is healthy. There is nothing wrong with that.

“He wants to give everybody the opportunity to be great. If the guys are willing to accept that and actually try to be great and not just talk about it, then you are going to win a lot of games.”

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Former Washington RB Brian Mitchell: ‘Coaches today are not as strong’

He wasn’t talking about any specific coaches, instead comparing the current era to his era.

Friday, former Washington running back Brian Mitchell had some strong words for some current NFL coaches.

Mitchell was asked a question about Washington’s scouting not finding some great players out there as Bobby Beathard did in the 1980s.

I attempted to follow Mitchell’s reasoning, but honestly, he lost me to some degree. When suddenly, Mitchell was stating he doesn’t believe coaches are as strong emotionally as the coaches were when he played in the NFL.

Here is the exchange.

“I am going to say this, and I don’t care if the coaches get mad or not. Coaches in my era didn’t take things personally.”

“The coaches back then were able to have an argument with a player, and it was over with, just like you have an argument with your brother. Coaches today seem to be afraid of someone who is not afraid of them. And I think when it comes down to scouting, sometimes social media helps us find things that is very beneficial. But everybody that once made a mistake is not always going to be that person.”

“I played with a lot of guys who had made some mistakes, but they were no longer that (same) guy. A lot of coaches were able to look past that, or they put you with someone whom they felt could guide you.”

“I think coaches today are not as strong as the men who were leading men back in the day. A lot of these dudes (coaches) play this little political game and they want to promote themselves and present themselves in a certain way, but they are not the leaders they claim they are.”

Mitchell has many times praised Joe Gibbs for being humble, yet internally a very strong man. On this day, Mitchell did not clarify by naming any coaches in particular by name.

The previous day, Mitchell had been rather direct in criticism of current Washington head coach Ron Rivera, saying sometimes Rivera talked too much.