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The last head coach job open in the NFL was filled on Wednesday, and that was bound to be confrontational for Andy Reid.
David Culley, associate head coach, passing coordinator and receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens, has taken over from the Houston Texans. Culley’s career as an NFL assistant dates back nearly three decades, the majority of which was spent under Reid’s leadership with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
Eric Bieniemy, the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, did not take the job from the Texans, or any other job. Bieniemy has worked under Reid for the past eight seasons, with three seasons as the coordinator of the NFL’s most feared offense.
Culley and Bieniemy didn’t exactly face each other for the Texans job. Bieniemy was not among the three coaches to get a second interview in Houston, and he only appeared to get his first interview after Deshaun Watson aired his grievances over the team’s recruiting practices. Hiring Culley, however, ensured that Bieniemy will not be head coach of the NFL next season, unless there are shocking developments elsewhere.
When asked about this development, Reid was openly disappointed as his Chiefs squad prepared for Super Bowl LV:
“I’m glad to have it [for at least another season], but I’m not that happy to have it, ” Reid said Thursday after the Chiefs started training for Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “I was really hoping he would have the opportunity to take on one of these jobs. You know what I think about him. I think he’s great. I think he would be great for all teams. who opened up and would help them win the football games and also turn men into men. I just think he’s a great person. “
At the same press conference, Reid also praised Culley and their time together:
“David will do a good job,” said Reid. “He’s a human person. He’ll bring energy to the building. One of the most loyal guys I know. He’s a great person. We’ve been together for 18 years. We had a few cheeseburgers together. ”
Reid’s praise for Culley echoes what almost everyone near the longtime assistant has said about him, but his endorsement seems unlikely to change the perception that Texans don’t know what they are. do.
Did the Texans Hire Andy Reid’s Wrong Follower?
If you only assess the coach candidates on paper, it’s not hard to see why some are perplexed that Culley is Andy Reid’s assistant getting a head coach job this offseason.
Bieniemy’s background in coordinating the strongest unit of a potential two-time Super Bowl champion makes him an obvious candidate for football head coach. There is no type of assistant more appealing to teams than a promising offensive coordinator.
Meanwhile, Culley’s resume almost seems destined to become a copypasta for Texan haters. The passing play coordinator and wide receivers coach for the team with the least productive passing play and wide receivers in the NFL. Josh Allen’s quarterback coach when Josh Allen was still a punch for some. Chiefs wide receivers coach when the Chiefs wide receivers have gone an entire season without a touchdown. 65-year-old first-time head coach in NFL history.
Of course, there is so much more to being a successful head coach than the experience of coordinator and unit production. Culley’s early reviews indicate that these facets are where he shines, but they’re also difficult to use to defend a Texan brass that completely messed up their decision-making recently.
The Texans are just one of many teams that have passed Bieniemy over the past two years, but being the last team to do so and bring in a candidate like Culley was always going to invite scrutiny. Time will tell if hiring Culley was a smart move – it didn’t do much to convince Watson to stay – but unfortunately we’ll have to wait even longer to see how Bieniemy does as a coach – chief.
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Originally published
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