Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy praised quarterback Sam Howell over the weekend at an event before the team kicked off OTAs Tuesday.
Howell went out Tuesday and impressed coaches and teammates with a positive first day of work at OTAs.
On Wednesday, Howell was on the receiving end of Bieniemy’s trademark intensity after he was intercepted in practice. No, Bieniemy didn’t get after Howell for turning the ball over, but it was for his initial reaction to the interception.
Here’s the exchange, courtesy of John Keim of ESPN.
Percy butler with a pick of Howell in red zone. Bieniemy got on Howell for not chasing him down after the pick. “You threw it, you go get it!” Nice play by Butler. Aggressive throw.
— John Keim (@john_keim) May 24, 2023
Believe it or not, there is a lot to like here. Yes, Howell threw a meaningless interception in practice, but Bieniemy turned it into a coaching point. Howell didn’t pout, put it behind him, and moved on to the next play.
One thing we’ve consistently heard about Howell is he likes to be coached. His former college offensive coordinator Phil Longo often spoke of Howell’s coachability.
Bieniemy preaches accountability. And if an organization, specifically a unit, needs accountability, it’s Washington’s offense. The Commanders have multiple talented players who want to be coached hard, such as wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, among others.
Regardless of the skill talent, Washington’s offense has been the unit to hold the franchise back in recent years. Bieniemy was brought here to change that in 2023.
As for Howell, after an uneven start, according to Zach Selby of commanders.com, he rebounded nicely with a strong finish.
Quarterback Sam Howell came out strong in the first day of OTAs, delivering precise throws and moving well in the pocket. Today was a bit more uneven — a sign that Howell is still developing — but there were still some positive moments. He completed 5-of-6 passes in the final team drill of the day, including two touchdowns to Antonio Gibson and Jonathan Williams.
These are the types of days you want to see from Howell. He’s going to throw interceptions. He’s going to have bad plays. It’s all about how he responds.
And Bieniemy likely got the response he wanted on Wednesday.
