Eric Bieniemy only spent one season with the Chicago Bears, but it was memorable. The running backs coach was largely responsible for molding the team’s eventual 3rd-ranked rushing attack under new head coach Ben Johnson. D’Andre Swift turned in a career year with 1,089 yards, while rookie Kyle Monangai had over 700 of his own. It was a stellar job by Bieniemy. The only unfortunate part was that it didn’t last long. Following the Bears’ exit from the playoffs, the coach was lured away by the Kansas City Chiefs to become their new offensive coordinator.
It was a fitting moment for him. The pinnacle of his career happened there, winning two Super Bowls in 2019 and 2022. It was a homecoming for himself and his family. Nobody could’ve imagined at the time how horrific a turn things would take. Nate Taylor of ESPN has reported that Bieniemy’s wife, Mia, was shot in their home. If that weren’t bad enough, the perpetrator was none other than their son, Elijah, who shot her multiple times. He was arrested and charged with three felonies.
The wife of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy was allegedly shot by the couple’s son Sunday night at the family’s home in Virginia.
Mia Bieniemy, 57, was hospitalized in stable condition Monday. Police in Loudoun County, Virginia, confirmed that a woman was being treated for “serious injuries” from multiple gunshot wounds but did not disclose her identity.
Elijah Zion Bieniemy, 27, was arrested and charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside of a dwelling, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Sources told ESPN that Mia Bieniemy was shot in the chest and arm.
Eric Bieniemy faces the worst kind of family crisis.
Hearing that your wife of over 30 years has been shot is terrifying enough. One can only imagine what his reaction was upon hearing that his own son did it. Keep in mind that Elijah didn’t have any known criminal record prior to this incident. Most knew him as a law-abiding citizen from a good, Christian family. Going from that to shooting your own mother raises serious questions. Was he into some sort of criminal activity? Did he have mental health issues? No details on what happened have surfaced yet, what with the investigation ongoing.
It isn’t clear when Eric Bieniemy will return. While nobody is grumbling that he isn’t there, the fact is that his absence is rough timing for the Chiefs. They are banking on him helping turn around what had become a fairly listless offense under Matt Nagy the previous two years. Bieniemy has a reputation for being tough and disciplined with his players. Patrick Mahomes had his best seasons as a pro when he was the offensive coordinator. Not having him right as training camp begins is rough timing.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
Positive thoughts must go out to the coach.
Incidents like this are incredibly messy. By all accounts, Mia Bieniemy is a beloved woman, called a saint by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. It’s hard to imagine anybody meaning her harm, let alone her own son. One can only imagine how Bieniemy himself will react. The man has never shied away from confrontations. It was that way in college and followed him for years. He may not respond well in his son’s presence. Regardless, the former Bears coach likely won’t get back to football until he’s certain Mia is out of the woods.
Kansas City’s first preseason game will be on August 15th against the Los Angeles Rams. No doubt the team hopes he can be back before then, but don’t expect them to force the issue. They’ll have to make do. Here’s hoping everybody involved gets the help they need. This situation is already tragic enough.
