Eric Bieniemy, the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, shared that his wife, Mia, encouraged his return to the team because he was beginning to drive her ‘crazy’ at home.
After a tumultuous incident at his residence in Virginia on July 26, the 57-year-old Bieniemy took a brief leave from the Chiefs’ training camp. Just two weeks later, he rejoined the team, expressing that it felt ‘great to be back’ following the challenging family situation.
According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, his 27-year-old son, Elijah, faced charges of malicious wounding, using a firearm in a felony, and firing a weapon within a dwelling. This came after a shooting incident left Mia with severe injuries from ‘multiple gunshot wounds.’
Having rejoined the Chiefs, where he previously claimed two Super Bowl victories as offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022, Bieniemy spoke to the public about the ordeal for the first time. He shared how his wife’s encouragement was instrumental in his return to camp while also providing an optimistic update on her recovery.
During a press conference following practice on Tuesday, he began by expressing gratitude to the reporters for their ‘love and support’ during this difficult period.
‘Obviously the unfortunate circumstances that took place is very hurtful in a way, but on top of that I just respect that you guys are respecting our privacy, and hats off to you.
Eric Bieniemy has been back at Chiefs training camp after he was excused for two weeks
Bieniemy’s wife, Mia, gave him the green light to return after she was shot at their home
Elijiah Bieniemy, the son of Eric and Mia, was arrested over the shooting in Virginia
‘I also would like to say thank you to the Hunt family, the entire Chiefs family, for the outpouring the love and support that my family has received through this particular situation.
‘But with all that being said, we’re back to football and I’m all ears.’
He later revealed his wife had given him the green light to return to Kansas City, after he had been staying in close contact with the team remotely while being with her during her initial recovery.
‘She is on a road to recovery,’ Bieniemy said. ‘She is doing great.
‘It’s one of the main reasons why I’m back here because of her recovery. She is truly a soldier. She’s a saint. It’s been incredible to watch, but I know I was driving her and a bunch of family members crazy in the house.
‘I was yelling at the screen, yelling at players, yelling at coaches – ‘What the hell are we doing?!’ I’m yelling at myself, ‘Why would you put that play in!?’ Bieniemy said, smiling. ‘At the end of the day, I was making sure I was keeping up with what was going on.
‘So she was like, ‘You have my blessing to leave, so it was time to get back.’
Bieniemy shared that his language caught some of his family members by surprise as he watched practices via video link
‘Technology is pretty impressive,’ he said. ‘My language probably got a little colorful in the house. I had a bunch of family members that were there that really never heard some of the language that was used. It felt good just to see the guys work and to feel like I was still a part of it.’
Mia called 911 herself following the incident as dispatchers warned responders that ‘the son still has a weapon currently located within the home.’
According to NBC Washington, she still has fragments of bullet inside her following surgery she required after being shot in the left forearm and shoulder by a bullet that traveled across her chest.
After being taken into custody, Elijah has been held by police without bond. A Virginia judge recently approved a motion for a formal mental health evaluation after court documents filed by his public defender saying he ‘appears to suffer from significant mental health issues.’