Wife of NFL Coach Shot at Home by Their SON’ 

A horrifying family crisis has shaken the Kansas City Chiefs just as the team opens training camp.

Mia Bieniemy, the wife of Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, was seriously injured after being shot inside the family’s Virginia home Sunday evening, according to authorities. Police have identified the couple’s youngest son, 27-year-old Elijah Bieniemy, as the suspect.

Deputies were called to a home in the 20000 block of Northpark Drive in Ashburn, Virginia, on Sunday night after reports of a shooting. Mia Bieniemy was rushed to the hospital with what officials described as serious injuries. She is now listed in stable condition.

By Monday morning, police had named Elijah Bieniemy as the primary suspect in the shocking domestic shooting. He has been charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm inside a dwelling. He is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.

Eric Bieniemy was not home at the time. The longtime NFL coach was in Missouri with the Chiefs as the team began training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

He has since left the team to be with his wife at the hospital.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid addressed the devastating situation Monday, saying, “Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy. Mia is stable. She’s a saint, one of God’s good blessings.”

Reid said there is currently no timeline for Bieniemy’s return to the team. In his absence, Joe Bleymaier has stepped up from his role as pass game coordinator to help handle offensive coordinator duties.

The stunning incident comes during what was supposed to be a major professional comeback for Bieniemy, who recently returned to Kansas City after spending three seasons away from the organization.

Bieniemy and Mia have two sons. Their eldest son, Eric III, is wheelchair-bound and has cerebral palsy and respiratory issues. Those health concerns previously led Bieniemy to isolate from his family during the 2021 NFL season in order to protect his son from potential COVID exposure.

The Chiefs coach has long been respected across the NFL, both for his football mind and his intense presence in the locker room. He first joined Kansas City in 2013 as running backs coach and later became offensive coordinator, helping shape one of the most explosive offenses in the league.

He left the Chiefs after the 2022 season while pursuing a head coaching opportunity. Although that job never came, he later became assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders under Ron Rivera.

After Rivera was fired, Bieniemy moved to UCLA for the same role. Following a 5-7 season with the Bruins, he left again and joined the Chicago Bears as running backs coach.

This offseason, Bieniemy returned to Kansas City as offensive coordinator after Matt Nagy’s contract lapsed, bringing him back into the building where he enjoyed some of his greatest coaching success.

His return was widely praised inside the Chiefs organization, including by star tight end Travis Kelce.

“I can’t wait to see him back in the building,” Kelce said when Bieniemy’s return was confirmed. “He’s one of my favorite coaches of all time. I’ve had so many unbelievable growing moments under him as a player.”

Bieniemy was equally emotional about the reunion, saying in January, “I feel like a kid in a candy store. I don’t know if you can hear the nervous energy in my voice of just excitement.”

He also spoke about reuniting with Kelce and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, saying he was fired up to get back to work with both stars.

“It’s just the excitement of seeing each other, asking how they’re doing and making sure everything is good moving forward,” Bieniemy said. “Is the excitement high? Yes. Am I fired up? Yes. Do I respect the hell out of both of those guys? Yes. I’m looking forward to getting back to the grind and chopping wood with them.”

Before his coaching career, Bieniemy was a standout running back at Colorado, where he helped the Buffaloes win the 1990 national championship. He later played nine seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Now, instead of focusing solely on the upcoming season, Bieniemy is facing an unimaginable personal emergency involving his wife and son.

The Chiefs are scheduled to open the NFL season on Sunday, September 13, against their AFC West rivals, the Denver Broncos.