Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was absent from Monday’s practice following a shooting incident at his Ashburn, Virginia, home on Sunday evening. His wife, Mia Bieniemy, was shot and transported to a hospital, where she was reported to be in stable condition.
Authorities in Virginia confirmed that Elijah Zion Bieniemy, the 27-year-old son of Eric and Mia Bieniemy, was arrested early Monday in connection with the shooting. He faces charges including malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. Elijah Zion Bieniemy is currently being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the situation after Monday’s training camp practice, expressing support for the Bieniemy family. “Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family, our thoughts and prayers are with them,” Reid stated. He emphasized that Mia Bieniemy was stable, which he considered a positive development.
Team Support and Coaching Adjustments
Reid highlighted the strong support system available to Eric Bieniemy and his family within the Chiefs organization. “He has a great support group here, as does his family, as needed,” Reid said, adding, “We’ll just let time take care of it from there.” He also spoke highly of Mia Bieniemy, referring to her as “a saint” and “one of God’s good blessings.”
Eric Bieniemy was not present for Monday’s workout, which included rookies, quarterbacks, and a few veterans. There is no specified timetable for his return to the team. Reid noted the importance of Bieniemy attending to personal matters, stating, “On these things, real life, you take care of that, and that becomes important.”
In Bieniemy’s absence, Reid indicated that other coaches would step up to manage his responsibilities during training camp. Joe Bleymaier, the pass-game coordinator, and Andy Heck, the offensive line coach and run-game coordinator, will take over his duties. Reid reiterated that the most important thing is for Bieniemy to have the opportunity to spend time with his family and handle the situation.
Bieniemy’s Return to the Chiefs
Eric Bieniemy recently returned to the Chiefs as offensive coordinator this season, replacing Matt Nagy. He was part of Andy Reid’s initial staff in Kansas City in 2013, serving five seasons as the running backs coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator. During his previous tenure as offensive coordinator, the Chiefs reached three Super Bowls and won two, with Bieniemy contributing to one of the NFL’s top offenses.
After interviewing for several head-coaching positions without success, Bieniemy joined the Washington Commanders in 2023. Following a season with the Commanders and a subsequent season as offensive coordinator at UCLA, he spent last season as the running backs coach with the Bears before rejoining the Chiefs. Reid had previously expressed enthusiasm about Bieniemy’s return, noting his energy and leadership qualities.
The Chiefs are scheduled to welcome veterans and the remaining 90-man offseason roster into training camp on Tuesday, with a full-team practice planned for Wednesday at Missouri Western State University.
The team is off on Tuesday. The first full-squad workout at Missouri Western State University is Wednesday.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
