Tag: Jamaal Charles

Texas RB Bijan Robinson gives the best pitch for Texas as RBU

Bijan “El Rayo” Robinson tells you why Texas is RBU.

The reigning king of Austin, Texas has spoken. Texas is Running Back University. Continue reading “Texas RB Bijan Robinson gives the best pitch for Texas as RBU”

Former Chiefs running back defends Eric Bieniemy

Jamaal Charles doesn’t agree with LeSean McCoy at all.

It was a battle of former Kansas City Chiefs running backs on Tuesday.

On Monday, LeSean McCoy discussed the Washington Commanders’ hiring of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as their new offensive coordinator. In short, McCoy doesn’t have high hopes for Bieniemy in Washington, believing most of his success in Kansas City was due to Andy Reid.

On Tuesday morning, former Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles responded to McCoy’s tweet and video from Monday, discussing Bieniemy. Let’s just say Charles sees things differently.

McCoy only played one season for Bieniemy in 2019. The Chiefs won the Super Bowl that year — Bieniemy’s second as offensive coordinator. Charles played 10 NFL seasons, nine with the Chiefs. Charles was in Kansas City for four seasons with Bieniemy as his running backs coach from 2013-16.

These are different perspective from different times. Both offer valuable insight into Bieniemy but Charles, along with Adrian Peterson, have vouched hard for Bieniemy.

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Jamaal Charles perfectly pushed back on LeSean McCoy’s shortsighted critique of Eric Bieniemy

Jamaal Charles would have better insight than LeSean McCoy.

Despite only spending one season on a team with Eric Bieniemy as an offensive coordinator, former Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy thinks he has a read on whether the Super Bowl-winning OC has what it takes to be a head coach in the NFL.

To make a long-winded and very shortsighted answer short, he does not. On FS1’s Speak, McCoy said he didn’t think Bieniemy brought any value to the Chiefs as an OC. It doesn’t sound like he expects much from Bieniemy as the new OC of the Washington Commanders either.

Of course, what McCoy is missing is the potential for a coach who was only in his second year as a coordinator to evolve and for his role to expand in the years after their time together. And judging by the words of another ex-Chief who spent more than a year with Bieniemy, it also sounds like Shady was just wrong.

Jamaal Charles, the long-time Chiefs Pro Bowler who spent four years with Bieniemy as his running backs coach, disagreed.

So take the word of someone who spent one year with Bieniemy or someone who worked with him for four years.

Or how about Tyreek Hill, who spent six years with Bieniemy and got to see his full growth from RB coach to OC. Hill called Bieniemy a “great coach.” Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid have also vouched for him.

Bottom line, it’s ridiculous that a coach as accomplished as EB has had to deal with so much more scrutiny as a coaching candidate than less accomplished coaches. The worn-out “play-calling” argument is dumb, because even while it’s been proven Bieniemy does call plays, it’s not a requirement of head coaches and shouldn’t be the most important thing a coach brings to the table.

As a former player, McCoy’s opinion isn’t irrelevant, but it does contradict what other players who spent much more time with EB have said. So it doesn’t deserve nearly as much weight.

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Chiefs insider tells what Commanders are getting in Bieniemy

A good look at what Washington fans can expect from Eric Bieniemy.

What did Adam Teicher, ESPN Chiefs Insider, have to say about Eric Bieniemy?

Teicher was a guest on the “John Keim Report,” discussing the Commanders hiring of Bieniemy as their new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

Below are some nuggets regarding Bieniemy. Here is the full podcast episode.

JK: “Of all the people they interviewed, I think he was the best choice…I think he is going to provide some energy and juice to an offense that needs it. What you also need is consistent quarterback play and a better offensive line. That makes any coordinator look better. Just hiring a new coach is not going to be enough to turn this offense around.”

AT: “The Commanders are getting a guy who, player after player over the years, has told me is detail-oriented down to the most minute of details.”

AT: “He is a coach who is known to ride his players kinda hard, and that rubs some players the wrong way. Particularly some veteran players have not appreciated that part of his coaching. I know there are a lot of players who think the opposite.”

AT: “His insistence on them doing things right has made them a better player than they otherwise would have been. Jamaal Charles and Adrian Peterson felt this way. Charcandrick West, an undrafted free agent, told me, ‘I wouldn’t be in the NFL if it wasn’t for Eric Bieniemy.’ ”

AT: “He does not let things slide, and you hear that from a lot of people. He is not afraid to throw a guy out of a drill if he is not getting it done the way Bieniemy wants.”

AT: “He’s got that booming voice, and sometimes he will stand out over the pack. So when you see him in training camp, you will hear his voice. No doubt about that.

AT: “You could see an exchange between Mahomes and Bieniemy; it wasn’t a friendly one. So, there are definitely moments like that. There are some players who don’t like that kind of coaching. There were a couple of veteran backs here who didn’t appreciate how Eric Bieniemy goes about his business. The Commanders are probably going to see that from time to time.”

AT: “There is no doubt that Andy Reid’s shadow is considerable here. The two previous offensive coordinators (Pederson & Nagy) coached Patrick Mahomes. There is a considerable shadow there, when you think about it. What will Bieniemy be like without Mahomes? Well, we don’t know.”

Jamaal Charles shares prediction for Chiefs vs. Eagles, Super Bowl LVII

Former #Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles told @goldmctNFL his prediction for #SuperBowlLVII.

It won’t be long now before the Kansas City Chiefs face off with the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

Everyone is locking in their picks for the game, including a former member of the Chiefs. Speaking with Jamaal Charles about his collaboration with Bud Light for the Super Bowl, we asked him what his prediction was for the game.

Obviously, he’s taking his former team. Charles predicted a low-scoring affair that features a healthy Patrick Mahomes and a Chiefs defense that can contain Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.

“Yeah, I hope it’s the Chiefs, so we can bring home some Bud Light to the Chiefs fans and everybody that supported the Chiefs this year,” Charles said. “So, I’m excited. My prediction is the Chiefs winning 20-17. I’m thinking it’ll be a close game. I think the defense will do a great job trying to contain Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown on the outside. But you know, hopefully having a healthy (Patrick Mahomes) coming up for the Super Bowl. I hope that the O-Line can control the D-Line because (the Eagles) have a crazy D-Line right now. So if we can contain that D-Line and make some passes down the field with Pat, I think we got some going.”

Should the Chiefs win in Super Bowl LVII, Charles will be unlocking two fully-stocked Bud Light trucks in Kansas City for a city-wide celebration during the team’s Super Bowl parade. He’s certainly hoping that he can have an opportunity to celebrate a Super Bowl win with Chiefs fans.

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Jamaal Charles shares how Chiefs offense can attack Eagles in Super Bowl LVII

Screen packages? Trick plays? Jamaal Charles weighs in on how the #Chiefs could attack the #Eagles in Super Bowl LVII

How will the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense attack the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII? Andy Reid is certain to have something special up his sleeve, at least that’s what one former player believes.

Speaking to former Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles about his collaboration with Bud Light for the Super Bowl, we were able to ask him what he thinks his old head coach might have planned for the big game.

During Charles’ time in Kansas City, he was often used on screen passes. Reid did anything he could to get Charles out in space and allow him to make a play. That’s something that he expects to see during Super Bowl LVII, with all the different playmakers the Chiefs have who can do damage after the catch.

“There’s definitely some screen packages in Coach Andy Reid’s playbook this week, coming up,” Charles said. “I hope you see some, you know, because he’s always been having great success in every game this year so far in the screen game. So, look out for (Isiah) Pacheco and (Jerick) McKinnon definitely getting involved in the screen game. Maybe Trav (Travis Kelce) because, you know it’s crazy, you’ve got two weeks to prepare for the Super Bowl, they could come up with all types of crazy plays right now.” 

Reid’s creativity as a play-caller and designer has been on display often this season, most recently with the “Snow Globe” play against the Las Vegas Raiders. Back in Super Bowl LIV, they used “Shift To Rose Bowl Right Parade” as one of the more unique plays called.

I asked Charles whether they had such unique play calls back in his day. He said that Reid wasn’t quite the creative mastermind he is today and was really just honing his ability to design and call trick plays.

“Not quite,” Charles said. “We really didn’t have any crazy plays. Every year, Coach Reid, got better at creating plays. The only plays we had when I was there, we had (Dontari) Poe. We had him playing the wildcat, the D-Tackle playing quarterback. That’s the creativity in there. Now, it’s getting out of control, you know what I’m saying. It has improved a lot, the creativity of the offense, it definitely expanded more after Poe as the wildcat.”

Speaking about some of those plays involving Poe from back in the day, Charles identified a specific play as a turning point for Reid’s confidence in designing and calling trick plays. It was Poe’s touchdown pass to Demetrius Harris on Christmas Day in 2016.

“That’s when it started going crazy,” Charles said. “From right there.”

There’s no telling what exactly we’ll see from a trick-play standpoint, but Charles seems to expect to see something unique come Sunday.

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Jamaal Charles explains what makes Chiefs HC Andy Reid so special

Former #Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles offered his perspective on what makes Andy Reid such a special coach.

Former Kansas City Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles played four seasons of his career under Andy Reid, including one of the best seasons of his career back in 2013.

Speaking with Charles about his collaboration with Bud Light for Super Bowl LVII, I wanted to get more perspective on his view of the Chiefs’ head coach. I asked Charles about what makes Reid so special and what drives his success in the NFL.

Charles echoed what many current and former players have said about Reid. He doesn’t try to control his players and he lets their personalities shine through, off the football field, but especially on the football field.

“He just takes what you do best, and he doesn’t try to switch you up,” Charles explained. “Whatever got you here, he’s gonna use all that stuff. Some coaches try to switch their players up and try to basically not let them be them, not let them just be who they are. That’s what Coach Reid (does). He lets you be who you are, he lets your personality shine.”

Reid isn’t going to put his players in a position where they won’t succeed. He instead harnesses what makes them great and unleashes it within his scheme. Reid also embraces who his players are off the field. You look at a player like JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was criticized for his TikTok dances and being himself in Pittsburgh. In Kansas City, he’s been playing spirited football.

“You know, everybody has got (a) different personality,” Charles continued. “It’s hard to put everybody on the same page. But he doesn’t do that. He doesn’t care about that. He just lets you be you, whoever you are, yourself. And he just goes out there and basically puts you in a the best situation to make the team better. And that’s what Coach Andy Reid does, that’s why everybody loves him and respects him because he doesn’t try to tell you to switch up your character. ‘Don’t be you.’ He just tells you, ‘Be you.’ And that’s what makes Coach Andy Reid (special).”

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Jamaal Charles thinks Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco can match his production in Kansas City

Former #Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles has no doubt in his mind that Isiah Pacheco can produce as he did in Kansas City.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie RB Isiah Pacheco has an admirer.

That admirer also happens to be one of the greatest running backs in franchise history. Speaking to former Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles as he promotes his new collaboration with Bud Light, I asked him to share his thoughts on Kansas City’s dynamic seventh-round rookie.

Specifically, I wanted to know if Charles thought that Pacheco could have a similar level of on-field success as he had during his career.

“Oh, yeah, I think he definitely can,” Charles said. “That’s what Coach Reid looks for, he looks for people that can come impact the game. It don’t matter how young you are, it don’t matter how old. If you’re young, he’ll put you right in and make you shine. So he’ll make you for where he feels like he can put you in a space to make you a better person, to make your game come out more. And that’s what (Eric) Bieniemy does (as well). They do a great job mentoring. Isiah (Pacheco), right now, in particular, they do a great job of just letting him shine. (They) let him be him.”

It’s quite the compliment coming from Charles, who boasts the most efficient yard-per-carry mark (5.4) in NFL history.

The thing that has most impressed Charles about Pacheco is his ability to come in and contribute right away. As a rookie back in 2008, Charles appeared in all 16 games and had 67 carries for just over 350 yards. Pacheco had 17 games played and over twice as many starts as a rookie, recording 170 carries for 830 yards.

“I like (Isiah Pacheco) because you might say most offenses don’t rely on the young guys to come in and play like that,” Charles said. “But Pacheco, he has been having a lot of great success, like he’s been doing this season. So I’m just happy for him. I hope he can have a career like me. If he has a career like me, I know the Chiefs could definitely win a Super Bowl. So, I wish all the best for him.”

It clearly brings Charles a great deal of joy to see that young man succeed in Kansas City. And with the biggest game of his young career on the horizon, it’s clear that Charles is hoping that success continues for Pacheco come Sunday.

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Jamaal Charles has a special delivery for Chiefs Kingdom should the team win Super Bowl LVII

Should the #Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII, Jamaal Charles will be bringing home the @budlight for #ChiefsKingdom during their Super Bowl parade.

Kansas City Chiefs legend Jamaal Charles has delivered many special moments to Chiefs Kingdom on the football field. Now, he’s partnered with Bud Light to potentially deliver a special moment off of the gridiron.

Bud Light has joined forces with Charles and Eagles’ legend Brian Westbrook for their “Bring Home the Bud Light” campaign. Ahead of Super Bowl LVII, two fully-stocked Bud Light trucks will head to Kansas City and Philadelphia. If the Chiefs bring home the Lombardi, Charles will unlock the beer for a city-wide celebration for aged 21+ fans during the team’s Super Bowl parade.

Check it out:

We spoke with Charles earlier this week about partnering up with Bud Light for this event.

“Yeah, so I know we’re like going to make it fun for Chief fans for the parade,” Charles said. “Bringing Bud Light to everyone and make it an event for everybody to enjoy. We’re doing a good partnership and just giving Bud Light to everybody for the parade. I can’t wait for (the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl), so we can enjoy it.” 

In addition to the “Bring Home the Bud Light” campaign, Bud Light is also teaming up with Cash App to cover fans’ beer expenses for the Super Bowl. Between now and Sunday, Feb. 12, fans 21+ can tweet #EasyToEnjoy #Sweepstakes for a chance to win some Bud Light for their Super Bowl party.

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Texas RB Bijan Robinson closing in on some historic names

Keep your eyes on No. 5 against Baylor.

It is quite possible that Friday’s matchup with Baylor could be the last time we see [autotag]Bijan Robinson[/autotag] put on the Burnt Orange in a regular season game. The five-star signee in the 2020 recruiting class has been as advertised for the Texas Longhorns.

This season Robinson is the No. 6 rusher in FBS with 1,401 yards. His yards per rush average of 6.12 ranks No. 18 among rushers with at least 100 carries. Bijan’s 16 rushing touchdowns put him No. 5 this season behind four players tied at 18.

It isn’t just the national rankings this season either, Robinson has been among the best in Texas Longhorns history. Not too shabby considering he has worn the same jersey as [autotag]Ricky Williams[/autotag], [autotag]Earl Campbell[/autotag], [autotag]Cedric Benson[/autotag], [autotag]Jamaal Charles[/autotag], and [autotag]Eric Metcalf[/autotag].

With just two games remaining, it could be three depending on how the final week of Big 12 games play out, Robinson could finish top five in several categories. He won’t win a Heisman like Williams or Campbell, but he could take home the Doak Walker Award given to the nation’s top running back. Time will tell if he joins Williams, Cedric Benson, and D’Onta Foreman as Texas Longhorns who won the award.