Pro Football Rumors
An incident on Sunday night resulted in the wife of Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy being shot. Eric and Mia’s son Elijah was arrested after allegedly shooting his mother.
Mia Bieniemy is currently hospitalized and in stable condition, and Eric has stepped away from the team. It is unclear how long that will remain the case, but veterans will report to Kansas City for the start of training camp tomorrow. An interim offensive coordinator setup is now in place.
Head coach Andy Reid said on Monday (via ESPN’s Nate Taylor) pass-game coordinator Joe Bleymaier will serve as the Chiefs’ OC for the time being. It is unclear how long that will be the case, though. Reid added there is no timeline in place regarding when Bieniemy will return.
“Our hears to go out to Eric Bieniemy,” Reid said (h/t Taylor). “Mia is stable, which is a plus… We all love EB and you hate seeing those things happens… Real life. You take care of that. She’s a saint, one of God’s good blessings. But things happen.”
Bieniemy worked with Reid and the Chiefs from 2013-22, a stretch which included time as the team’s offensive coordinator. Following his initial run in Kansas City, the 56-year-old spent one season with each of the Commanders, UCLA and the Bears. During this year’s hiring cycle, Bieniemy quickly emerged as the Chiefs’ preferred target to replace Matt Nagy. An agreement allowing for a reunion was worked out in short order, positioning Bieniemy to once again handle OC duties without serving as Kansas City’s play-caller.
Bleymaier’s first NFL opportunity came as an intern on Reid’s Eagles staffs. After three years at Colorado, he returned to the pro ranks by joining the Chiefs as an offensive quality control coach. Bleymaier has held a number of titles since then, and he was promoted to pass-game coordinator in 2023. A return to that role could take place, but for the time being the OC gig will be his.
