Son of Chiefs Assistant Coach Charged in Shooting Incident

The son of Eric Bieniemy, who serves as an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, has been arrested following an alleged shooting incident involving his mother, Mia Bieniemy. According to authorities in Virginia, the incident took place on a late Sunday evening at a home in Ashburn, Virginia, which the couple still owned from Eric Bieniemy’s time with the Washington Commanders.

The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office dispatched deputies to the site of the shooting, where they discovered Mia Bieniemy, age 57, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was promptly taken to a hospital and was reported to be in stable condition on Monday.

Elijah Zion Bieniemy, 27, was arrested early Monday morning in connection with the incident. He faces charges including malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. He is currently being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center, while the investigation continues.

Eric Bieniemy was attending the Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, earlier on Sunday but was absent from Monday’s practice, which was not open to the public. The Kansas City Chiefs have decided not to provide any media availability related to the incident.

The team issued a statement saying, “The club is aware of the incident involving Eric Bieniemy’s family. Out of respect for their privacy, we won’t have a comment at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”

Eric Bieniemy originally joined the Kansas City Chiefs as part of coach Andy Reid’s initial staff in 2013. He served as the running backs coach for five seasons before being promoted to offensive coordinator. Under his leadership, the Chiefs reached three Super Bowls and secured two victories, becoming one of the NFL’s top-performing offenses.

Despite several interviews for head-coaching positions, Bieniemy was frequently overlooked. To strengthen his professional credentials, he joined the Commanders in 2023, although the team faced challenges and coach Ron Rivera’s staff was eventually dismissed. Bieniemy then spent a season as the offensive coordinator at UCLA before transitioning to a role as the running backs coach with the Bears.

Eric Bieniemy has returned to the Chiefs as offensive coordinator for the current season, taking over from Matt Nagy. Over the summer, he participated in offseason workouts with the team and was present when the team reported to the training camp last week. The Chiefs are scheduled for a day off on Tuesday, with the first full-squad practice to take place at Missouri Western State University on Wednesday.

Coach Andy Reid commented on Bieniemy’s return, stating, “It’s great to have (Bieniemy) back in the building. He always brings great energy. I’ve told you, he’s one of the more phenomenal guys I have been around at being a leader of men. He is doing that. He’s in there cranking, works his tail off, and I appreciate that. Doesn’t let anything slide by. Does a good job with that.”

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