Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was back at Chiefs training camp last week after a two-week absence, and in his first public comments since the shooting involving his family, he said his wife, Mia, was the one who pushed him to return.
Bieniemy said Mia gave him her blessing to get back to the team after he had left camp to be with her while she was hospitalized in Virginia. He described her recovery positively, saying, “She is on the road to recovery,” and adding, “She is doing great. She's truly a soldier and a saint, and it's been incredible to watch.”
He also said it felt “good to be back” after what he called “unfortunate circumstances,” and noted that once “things kind of settled,” he was able to keep up with practices from afar.
The situation began on Sunday, July 26, 2026, when Bieniemy’s wife was shot by the couple’s 27-year-old son at their home in Ashburn, Virginia. She was later hospitalized, and the Chiefs gave Bieniemy an extended leave so he could return home and tend to her. He made his way back to camp a couple of weeks later.
A brief hearing for his son, Elijah, was held on Thursday, July 30, and he was granted the ability to undergo a competency evaluation.
Bieniemy’s return comes as the Chiefs look for an offensive rebound in 2026. This is his second stint with the team after a near decade-long run from 2013 to 2022, when he began as running backs coach before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2018.
During that stretch, he coached Patrick Mahomes to two NFL MVPs. Mahomes is now coming off a torn ACL suffered in December 2025.
After leaving Kansas City, Bieniemy worked for the Washington Commanders, UCLA, and the Chicago Bears in roles that included running backs coach and assistant head coach.
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