Report: Panthers, Giants request permission to interview Chiefs' Bieniemy

The Carolina Panthers and the New York Giants have both asked the Kansas City Chiefs for permission to interview offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for their vacant head coaching positions, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Bieniemy interviewed for several jobs last year and figured to be a candidate for openings in this coaching cycle. The 50-year-old has served on head coach Andy Reid's staff in Kansas City since 2013 and moved into the offensive coordinator role in 2018.

The Chiefs finished the 2019 regular season ranked fifth in scoring offense and sixth in yards. Last year, they topped the league in points per game and yards per game.

Teams have become increasingly fond of Reid's assistants in recent years. His two most recent offensive coordinators before Bieniemy - Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy - now occupy head coaching jobs with the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears, respectively. John Harbaugh and Sean McDermott are among the other former Reid assistants who are entrenched in such positions across the league.

The Panthers, who fired longtime bench boss Ron Rivera earlier this month, have already interviewed former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy for their opening. They reportedly plan to meet with Baylor head coach Matt Rhule and interim head coach Perry Fewell, and the search could still expand to include more names.

The Giants, who fired coach Pat Shurmur on Monday, have also reportedly asked for permission to interview New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Additionally, Rhule is considered a strong candidate for the team's head coaching job.