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John Keim, ESPN Staff Writer
ASHBURN, Va., — Something needed to change. It would need to be more than just swapping one coach for another, or even one system for another. Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera needed more, his team sputtered down the stretch and the organization needed a jolt.
Enter new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
Something needed to change at quarterback, too. Washington had a young passer Rivera felt was capable of leading a franchise and giving it a chance to build toward a bright future.
Enter new starter Sam Howell.
From the outside, it appears Rivera — who earned the moniker “Riverboat Ron” when coaching with the Carolina Panthers — has bet his Commanders tenure on an offensive coordinator who, though decorated, has never been a primary play caller, and a fifth-round quarterback with 19 career pass attempts.
“This is a calculated risk. This has been thought out,” Rivera said. “It’s something I felt needed to be done. I wanted a change because I wanted to see us do something different.”
Added to the mix: The Commanders have a new owner in Josh Harris, which means everything and everyone in the organization will be scrutinized this season. Rivera, who enters a critical Year 4 in Washington, has posted a 22-27-1 record — comparing favorably after three years to Joe Gibbs (21-27), Mike Shanahan (21-27) and Jay Gruden (21-26-1) under former owner Dan Snyder.
In his introductory news conference, Harris expressed support for what Rivera and Washington’s front office is doing. But what happens beyond 2023 remains an unknown.
“I don’t worry about that,” Rivera said of his future. “If we go 8-8-1 this year and he fires me and next year they win the division and 40 of the 53 players we drafted and it’s the same quarterback, I’m vindicated. Send me my Super Bowl ring. That’s the way I look at it. I want us to be right and to see this community have that excitement again.”
But the risk was in not making those moves. Rivera knows that his fate in Washington is tied to both those offseason decisions, and that all three men’s careers are tied together: Any future head coaching prospects for Bieniemy would be enhanced if Howell succeeds; Howell’s long-term future would be solidified with a strong year; and any success or failure from either or both likely will affects Rivera’s standing with the new owner.
“It’s a quarterback driven league so you get tied to the hip of a quarterback,” Bieniemy said.
“If I play well it helps [Bieniemy], it helps Ron, it helps his team, it helps everybody,” Howell said. “You could say that about everyone in the building. Winning obviously helps everybody. We all indirectly impact each other’s lives.”
‘I had to shake it up’
Bieniemy spent the past five years as the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator but also in the shadow of coach Andy Reid, who was the primary play caller. He has interviewed 15 times for a head coaching job, getting turned down each time.
“I’ve never worried about it,” Bieniemy said. “You could be disappointed because you didn’t get anything. But if I was worried about it we probably never would have had the success we had. You just continue to work to improve. One thing I learned long ago: eliminate the distractions.”
Nor does he worry that Washington’s offense could struggle while meshing new parts and his future could be altered in a negative way. In addition to the inexperience of Howell, Washington will have new starters at four positions along the offensive line.
“I’ve been a part of this sport for a long time,” Bieniemy said. “I had an opportunity to play two national championship games, played in the Super Bowl, coached in the NFC Championship Game, coached in five straight AFC Championship games. I don’t fear anything, we just go to work.”
Rivera said hiring Bieniemy was a chance to grab someone from the Reid tree after coaching five years under Reid in Philadelphia. But it was also about the Chiefs’ style of offense and what Rivera considered their ability to get playmakers the ball in space, which Rivera said Washington didn’t do well enough last year.
“Changing the offense was the best opportunity to grow,” Rivera, whose offenses never finished better than 20th in points or yards under former coordinator Scott Turner, said. “I wanted to make sure the ball was being dispersed in a different fashion, quicker, to get these guys in space. I didn’t want to just see play-action throw-the-ball vertical stuff. We have guys that need to get the ball in space.”
Bieniemy, who also holds the title of assistant head coach, has been given more influence over how the team is run, including how they practice. Rivera said he and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, a former head coach, recently talked about Bieniemy’s impact.
“And how the defensive guys reacted and how it affects the way we practice,” Rivera said. “It’s been what I thought it would be.”
Since Bieniemy arrived, Washington has conducted longer practices and had more physical workouts. Players said there was more urgency and running back Antonio Gibson said he was in the best shape of his career due to the faster tempo at practice and the high volume of plays the offense has been able to run.
For Rivera, entering his 13th year as a head coach, Bieniemy’s influence has represented a big change that he’s embraced.
“I had to shake it up,” Rivera said. “I’m out of that comfort zone because for 12 years we did the same thing and now I’m changing and adapting and I’m working with EB. What we’ve done is change the outlook. The players get it. The best thing EB said is let’s learn to be comfortable when you’re uncomfortable. It changed the thought process for everybody, me included. It did a lot for me.”
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‘Never a doubt in my mind’
Rivera named Howell the No. 1 quarterback entering offseason workouts. The Commanders, who fired Turner as OC shortly after the 2022 season, were high on Howell before the 2022 draft. One team source said prior to the draft that, had Washington not traded for Carson Wentz before the start of last season, it would have targeted Howell on Day 2.
Then, after seeing Howell — whom they selected 144th overall — improve during practices throughout his rookie year, they hoped for a chance to get him playing time.
“We knew what we thought we had but we were right in the middle of a frickin’ playoff run,” Rivera said. “We kept hoping we’d blow someone out so we could put him in the second half and finish up a game but it never got to that point.”
Instead, they started him in the season finale against the Dallas Cowboys after they had been eliminated in Week 17. The Cowboys could have improved their playoff position with a win, but Howell led Washington to a 26-6 win by completing 11-of-19 passes for 169 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He also ran for a score. Washington’s staff liked the decision making, accuracy and his timing he displayed throughout the win.
Bieniemy, too, liked Howell before the 2022 draft and also had a second-day grade on him. The Chiefs, with Patrick Mahomes, did not need a quarterback. But Kansas City offensive line coach Andy Heck’s son, Charlie, scouted Howell for the year at Carolina. A longtime Bieniemy friend, North Carolina defensive line coach Tim Cross vouched for Howell as well. So, too, did another buddy — Tar Heel offensive analyst Natrone Means.
“There was never a doubt in my mind that Sam couldn’t produce or play at this level,” Bieniemy said. “I was shocked that he went as late as he did.”
While Bieniemy didn’t want to speculate on what Howell’s success might mean to him, Rivera did.
“As long as Sam plays well that should tell everyone that EB is ready,” Rivera said. “He had to leave Andy’s shadow to get this opportunity. I really believe in Eric. I watched how he’s handled the team.”
For Rivera, if the offense improves and it leads to a successful season, he knows many will cite Bieniemy’s impact more than the man who hired him. Rivera said that doesn’t bother him.
“If we’re playing well and we’re right about the quarterback then that’s enough,” he said. “This is my 36th year in football. I’ve been to the Super Bowl so I’ve had all that. If this was about ego then every chance I would remind everyone about what I did. I’m past that. Maybe 10 to 15 years ago I worried about that, but I don’t worry about that now. I want to see this area get the team it deserves to have.”