Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, left, walks upfield from head coach Andy Reid, right, during the second day of rookie minicamp on May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
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Following the tragedy of his wife and son, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy left Chiefs training camp and was not in attendance for Monday’s practice.
There is no timeline for his return.
“We’ll let time take of it,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said.
Eric’s wife, 57-year-old Mia Bieniemy, was hospitalized after being shot at her home.
“Mia is stable,” Reid said. “She’s a saint. We all know that … one of God’s good blessings.”
Making the incident even more horrific is that her son, 27-year-old Elijah Zion Bieniemy, was arrested and charged for the shooting, according to ESPN.
The charges are malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside of a dwelling. He is being held without bond at a detention center in Loudoun County, Va.
In Eric Bieniemy’s absence, passing game coordinator Joe Bleymaier and offensive line coach Andy Heck will fill in.
“We’ll be able to keep it moving here,” Reid said.
Reid, who learned about incident Sunday night, sadly has experienced family tragedy as well.
Before Andy Reid joined the Chiefs, his oldest son, Garrett, died of a heroin overdose. Britt, his second oldest son, was on the Chiefs’ staff until he injured a five-year-old girl in a DWI car accident.
“We all love E.B,” Andy Reid said. “You hate to see these kind of things happen.”
Bieniemy spent last season as the Chicago Bears’ running back coach, and the Bears improved from 27th in rushing to third in the NFL before rejoining the Chiefs as offensive coordinator. He held that same position for Kansas City from 2018 to 2022.
He is tasked with improving an offense, which became sloppy with turnovers and penalties during 2025.
After 2026 training camp opened on Friday, Reid praised Bieniemy’s presence.
“It is great to have him back in the building. He always brings great energy,” Reid said. “He is one of the more phenomenal guys I have been around at being a leader of men.”
The full Chiefs team has not reported for camp yet, but Bieniemy, who is known for being a stickler for details, already has impressed the rookies.
“Oh, he’s going to push you, man,” said rookie running back Emmett Johnson, who signed a four-year, $4.9 million contract with the Chiefs. “He’s going to push you a lot. He wants the best for me at the end of the day. I’m not going to take anything personal. I pride myself on hard coaching, so I really love that he’s here. He’s pushing me to be better every single day.”
But Bieniemy will spend the ensuing days dealing with this terrible family issue.
“Time will have to be involved in this to help heal a little bit,” Reid said. “But it all will work out in the long run.”