Commanders' Curtis Samuel responds to Ron Rivera, Eric Bieniemy comments

Washington Commanders wide receiver Curtis Samuel sounds ready to put any controversy involving offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Eric Bieniemy and head coach Ron Rivera to bed.

As shared by Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Samuel recently told JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington he "loves" the new offense installed by Bieniemy.

"He’s a tough coach but nothing I’m not used to — it’s like a college environment," Samuel said about Bieniemy. "When you’ve got a coach like that that’s being tough and hard on you, he wants the best out of you." 

Rivera curiously and needlessly generated headlines when he revealed this week some players voiced concerns about Bieniemy's intense personality and coaching style during practice. A somewhat defiant Bieniemy responded that he would continue to be a combination of players' "biggest and harshest critic" and their "No. 1 fan," and Rivera later expressed remorse about putting "my foot in my mouth" via his original comments. 

Samuel suggested that Bieniemy's long-term objectives make his tactics worth any short-term headaches he causes this summer. 

"He’s not doing it for ego purpose or his own benefit. He wants the best out of you," Samuel continued. "And I feel like doing that kind of stuff brings the best out of players. I love it." 

Former running back LeSean McCoy played under Bieniemy when both were employed by the Kansas City Chiefs and said earlier this week that the coordinator's "relationship with the players" has "to change with the times" because the 53-year-old is stuck "in the days where the coaches were cussing players out." However, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes defended Bieniemy on Friday and insisted his former coach "made me a better player." 

Bieniemy and his offense will eventually be able to put this matter behind them when they open the regular season versus the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 10. Depending on the outcome of that game, this issue could quickly become a nonstory or something that hovers over the Commanders throughout the fall.