Ron Rivera sparked a huge controversy with the Washington Commanders by admitting his players had questioned the intensity of Eric Bieniemy’s methods at training camp. It’s the hottest topic in the NFL.
“Yes. I mean, they have. I’ve had a number of guys come to me and I said: ‘Hey, just go talk to him. Understand what he’s trying to get across to you.’ I think as they go and talk and listen to him, it’s been enlightening for a lot of these guys.”
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As a consequence, Rivera was criticized for pointing out Eric Bieniemy, one of the most respected offensive coordinators in the league after his work with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, he had to apologize.
Ron Rivera blames himself for Eric Bieniemy’s controversy
One day later, when the story was all over social media, Ron Rivera had to come out again to clarify what he meant by exposing Eric Bieniemy and his players. The head coach confirmed he already talked with the offensive coordinator about the subject.
“I basically told him I put my foot in my mouth. I think what I said wasn’t as clear as it needed to be. I think the understanding of it is just the fact that I think everybody’s making, in my opinion, a little bit more than needs to be made of this. Because again, the results are what you’re looking for on the field, and so far, the last couple days have been outstanding.”
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Furthermore, the head coach also was under scrutiny because his players were considered ‘soft’. “I think Eric has done a great job of communicating his message now that guys have opened up, talked with him, he’s opened up to them. Since those conversations took place with Eric and the players, I’ve seen the improvements. The last couple practices have probably been the best of training camp.”
