The Bears are hiring Eric Bieniemy as their running backs coach and keeping holdover Jim Dray as their tight ends coach, a source confirmed Saturday.
Bieniemy, 55, was the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator from 2018-22 — including two of their championship seasons. Bears general manager Ryan Poles was a member of the team’s front office during part of his stint there.
The Chiefs let Bieniemy’s contract expire after they beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl two years ago. He was immediately replaced by former Bears head coach Matt Nagy, who was the quarterbacks coach in 2022.
Bieniemy spent 2023 as assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Commanders before Ron Rivera was fired and held those same positions this season at UCLA in 2024. He left the Bruins in December after one season.
Bieniemy played running back at Colorado and for nine seasons in the NFL. He started his NFL coaching career as the Vikings’ running backs coach from 2006-10. After returning to his alma mater to be an offensive coordinator, he became the Chiefs’ running backs coach in 2013 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018 when Nagy joined the Bears. Head coach Andy Reid was the primary play-caller.
Dray, 38, has coached the Bears’ tight ends since Matt Eberflus was hired in 2022.