Bieniemy was asked if he thinks the increased passing game was the best way to develop Sam Howell this past season.
“I think going back, looking at it, yes, in order for a quarterback to play, you got to give him an opportunity.”
It was a rather interesting response, seeing he had just talked of how Patrick Mahomes did not have to play but could learn from Alex Smith during the 2017 season in Kansas City.
Perhaps in Bieniemy’s defense, he meant that because Howell was already declared to be the QB1 in the offseason, then this was the best way for Howell to learn, because he still had Brissett behind him being supportive.
“Now, obviously, you could look back at situations and say he did something different, but a lot of that is predicated on the score, the situation that presents itself. Yeah, there’s a number of things that you can do to change everything, but it worked out the way it did.”
One of the criticisms of Bieniemy this season has been his apparent unwillingness to run the ball more often, keeping the defensive pass rush more honest, rather than always rushing Howell.
But Bieniemy sounded firmly convinced Thursday that he believes Howell is further along, having been pushed to drop back more often in 2023.
“I think what has happened throughout the course of the season, it’s helped Sam to grow. Like I said, he’s had some highs, he’s had some lows, he’s had some challenging situations, but the thing that is not only testing him as a talent, is testing his character, and he’s finding out more about who he is as a person.”
Indeed there were times this season when teammates such as Terry McLaurin and Jonathan Allen both spoke publicly, praising Howell for his arm talent and leadership. Unfortunately for Howell, his play and confidence have both swooned in the last six weeks of the season.
Yet, Bieniemy proclaimed Thursday, he still believes in Howell. “The thing that I love about him is his behavior has not changed. If anything, going through this adversity has made him even more hungrier. It’s given him even more of a passion to want to perfect his skillset. So, that’s the thing that excites me about Sam, and that’s what you want from a quarterback.”
