Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has stepped away from training camp after a deeply troubling incident at his family’s home in Virginia, where his wife, Mia, was shot multiple times and their 27-year-old son was taken into custody.

Mia Bieniemy, 57, was still in stable condition Monday and receiving medical care, according to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. Their son, Elijah Zion Bieniemy, has been charged with three felonies in connection with the shooting and is being held without bond.

It’s a shocking situation that has understandably pulled attention away from football entirely. For now, the focus is on the Bieniemy family and what they’re going through, not what’s happening on the field.

What Authorities Say Happened

Loudoun County sheriff’s deputies were called out to a home in the 20000 block of Northpark Drive in Ashburn, Virginia, around 7:30 p.m. Sunday after reports of a shooting.

When they got there, they found an adult woman who had been shot multiple times. She was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. At first, the sheriff’s office didn’t release her name, but later reporting from ESPN and other outlets identified her as Mia Bieniemy.

Deputies arrested Elijah Bieniemy, who also lives in Ashburn, and charged him with malicious wounding, using a firearm during the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm inside a home. He was booked into the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center and is being held without bond.

It’s important to remember these are charges, not a conviction, and the case is still very much under investigation. So far, authorities haven’t said what might have led up to the shooting or pointed to a clear motive. They also noted that other people were inside the home at the time, but thankfully no one else was hurt.

Court records show Elijah Bieniemy's arraignment, originally scheduled for Monday morning, was continued, and he is being represented by a public defender. His next court date, a preliminary hearing, is set for Aug. 31.

The Chiefs Are Giving Bieniemy Time

Eric Bieniemy was more than 900 miles away when the shooting happened, going about what was supposed to be a normal stretch of training camp with the Chiefs in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was at practice on Sunday, but by Monday he wasn’t with the team.

“The club is aware of the incident involving Eric Bieniemy’s family,” Chiefs vice president of football communications Brad Gee said in a statement. “Out of respect for their privacy, we won’t have a comment at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”

“Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family. We all love EB, and you hate seeing these kind of things happen.”

Reid also spoke about Mia in very personal terms, calling her a “saint” and “one of God’s good blessings,” and just someone who’s clearly meant a lot to the organization over the years. On the football side, he said pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier and offensive line coach Andy Heck would help keep things moving while Bieniemy is away.

Bieniemy came back to Kansas City in January for his second run as offensive coordinator. He was in this same role from 2018 to 2022 — before spending time with Washington, UCLA, and most recently coaching running backs with the Chicago Bears.

But honestly, all of that football context feels secondary right now. The reality is Mia Bieniemy is recovering from serious injuries and their son is facing three felony charges,

The Bieniemy family is dealing with something that goes way beyond the game, the playbook, or the season coming up.

All stats courtesy of NFL Pro.

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