Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been back at training camp for a week now after a leave of absence due to his wife, Mia Bieniemy, suffering a gunshot wound in a domestic incident involving the couple’s son.
“Thank you to the Hunt family, the entire Chiefs family,” Bieniemy began. “For the outpouring of love and support that my family has received through this particular situation.”
“She is on the road to recovery,” Bieniemy described Mia. “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 is a saint; it has been incredible to watch.”
“With that said, I know I was driving her and a bunch of family members crazy in the house,” Bieniemy smiled. “So she was like, ‘You have my blessing to leave.’ It was time to get back.”
As the long-time assistant coach alluded to, Bieniemy’s football brain didn’t shut off when he was away from the dorm rooms at Missouri Western State University in St. Joe. He kept in touch with the team by watching practice remotely via live stream.
“I wasn’t always watching, but when things kind of settled back home, I had an opportunity to tap in,” Bieniemy explained. “Technology is pretty impressive now… I had an opportunity to go through the script, and my language probably got a little colorful in the house.
“I had a bunch of family members that were there that never really heard some of the language that was used,” Bieniemy shared lightheartedly.
“It felt good just to see the guys work,” Bieniemy elaborated. “But on top of that, just to feel like I was still a part of it.”
It would be a lie to say Bieniemy was simply observing practice, or watching and taking notes to share with the team in the future. No, it was hard for the former NFL running back to turn off the mentality he has when he’s on the gridiron.
“Yelling at the screen, yelling at players,” Bieniemy reflected. “Yelling at coaches, ‘What the hell are we doing?‘
“I was yelling at myself, ‘Why would you put that play in?’”
“It was just to keep making sure I can keep up with what’s going on,” Bieniemy continued. “I didn’t want to get away too far, but I just wanted to make sure I could remain focused and locked in when I could have the opportunity to do so.”
While Bieniemy tended to his wife and his family as a whole, his “other family” was preparing for the season. He has been away from Kansas City since 2022, but the long-time ties to head coach Andy Reid have made this year’s reunion feel like old times, a benefit to Bieniemy during a difficult time for him personally.
“It feels good to be back because obviously, when you’ve been in this environment, it becomes your family,” Bieniemy said. “This is your family away from your family, so it feels good to be in this environment.”
With only a week under his belt since returning to the Chiefs’ coaching staff, Bieniemy knows there is plenty of work to do ahead of the season opener on September 14th.