When Eric Bieniemy talks football, one word comes up more than any other.
Finish.
It’s not just a motivational buzzword for the Kansas City Chiefs’ new offensive coordinator. It’s a philosophy that has followed Bieniemy for more than 30 years — all the way back to a moment in the summer of 1994 that permanently changed how he viewed greatness in the NFL.
At the time, Bieniemy was a running back for the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers held joint practices with the San Francisco 49ers, a dynasty in its prime.
And during a routine seven-on-seven drill, Bieniemy saw something that stuck with him forever.
Jerry Rice caught a short slant, turned upfield, and jogged all the way into the end zone — even though the play was effectively over.
Two snaps later, Rice did it again.
That’s when it hit Bieniemy.
“It wasn’t by chance that you saw Jerry Rice making all these great plays on Sunday,” Bieniemy recalled this week on The Kingdom. “He rehearsed everything. Second effort wasn’t accidental — it was a habit.”
Rice didn’t just make the catch.
He finished the play.
And three decades later, Bieniemy still hasn’t stopped yelling that word.
Anyone who’s been to Chiefs training camp knows it well. Bieniemy barks “FINISH!” after almost every snap. If a ball carrier looks down, he expects them to pop up and sprint into the end zone anyway.
If a route ends at the sideline, he wants it extended through the goal line.
To Bieniemy, finishing isn’t about showmanship — it’s about preparation becoming instinct.
“There’s a lot of great players in this league,” he said. “But there aren’t a lot of great finishers.”
That distinction matters now more than ever for Kansas City.
In 2025, the Chiefs struggled mightily to close games. Few teams in the NFL were worse in late-game execution.
Kansas City failed to score or sustain drives in critical fourth-quarter moments repeatedly, including losses to Houston, Buffalo, Denver (twice), and the Chargers.
Against the Texans alone, the Chiefs had four possessions in the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead — and produced zero first downs.
That’s where Bieniemy believes his mindset can make an immediate difference.
“You rehearse what you’re going to put on tape,” he said. “Practice is the rehearsal. Game day is the performance.”
It’s a lesson straight out of Rice’s playbook — the same approach that helped the Hall of Fame receiver finish his career as the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches.
And now, that philosophy circles back to another Chiefs legend.
If Travis Kelce returns for a 14th NFL season, Bieniemy’s presence could help him chase history once again. Kelce already owns the NFL record for postseason receptions.
He’s just two touchdowns shy of tying Jerry Rice for the most postseason receiving touchdowns in league history — and fewer than 200 yards away from Rice’s postseason yardage mark.
It’s fitting.
Kelce’s best years coincided with Bieniemy’s first stint as Chiefs offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022. That era was defined by detail, accountability, and closing moments — exactly what Kansas City lacked at times last season.
“If you’re going to start something,” Bieniemy said, “you might as well finish it.”
That single word shaped his career as a player.
It defines his approach as a coach.
And if it takes hold again in Kansas City, it might be the difference between a good offense — and a championship one.
Because in Eric Bieniemy’s world, greatness isn’t about how a play starts.
It’s about how it ends.
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