AVENTURA, Fla. -- Following the latest head-coaching hiring cycle, in which just one minority -- Ron Rivera in Washington -- and no African Americans were hired, Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league needs to evaluate the Rooney Rule and the hiring processes for coaches.
The main figure in the discussions surrounding the hiring process is Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who interviewed with the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, but didn't land a head coaching gig.
For his part, Bieniemy insisted Thursday he isn't frustrated with being passed up for a promotion and is instead focusing on Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers.
"Everybody wants to hear that I'm disappointed. That is not the case," he said. "We're still playing. We've got one of the biggest games this weekend. So, I'm really looking forward to having that opportunity to share in this moment in time with our organization, with our players and also too with our coaching staff."
Bieniemy declined to speak on any potential rule changes Goodell and the league might push for in coming years.
"It's not for me to comment because I can only speak to my process," he said. "I've been blessed to have an opportunity to interview. Now, whether they hire me or not, that's up to them. I work my tail off to be placed in that situation. I'm going to continue chopping wood. I'm going to continue being me. And whatever is going to happen down the line is going to happen. I'll let the process take care of itself."
Asked if the Rooney Rule is fundamentally broken, Bieniemy replied: "I don't have that answer."
"I would say this: Every coach may have a different gripe about whatever comes up within their own organization," Bieniemy added. "But we all have an opportunity to do what we do, OK? I love my job. I have no complaints in what I do and how I do it. I know one thing, when it's all said and done with, we get to line up and play football. And that's what I'm going to do. I'm a football coach."
"His role is the same (as Pederson and Nagy)," Reid said Thursday. "He does all the stuff the other coordinators do -- the game plans and so on. He's the one (who) signals and calls the plays and in communication with the quarterbacks. He's in every quarterback meeting, all the stuff all the other guys do. I don't know the answer. Every owner has the option of hiring the best fit for the organization and I'm very partial to Eric because I know how good he is. I'm with him every day and I appreciate him more every day. I've had him as a player and now as a coach so I've watched him grow in the profession and he's somebody that an owner would never have to worry about. You could just turn it over to him and let him go. Just let him be Eric Bieniemy and he'll lead your football team into greatness."
Perhaps during the next coaching cycle, Bieniemy will get that chance to lead his own team to greatness. For now, he's just focusing on the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LIV details
When is the Super Bowl? Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will take place on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. EST.
Where is the Super Bowl? Hard Rock Stadium will host the game in 2020, marking Miami's 11th time as Super Bowl host city.
*How to watch the Super Bowl: Tune in on Fox, with the NFL App, Yahoo Sports App, and on NFL.com. Check out more updates and info here. *
