ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy returned to the team Monday for his first training camp practice since his wife was shot at their Virginia home and the couple’s 27-year-old son was arrested in the shooting.
Bieniemy was greeted by a handful of fans as he walked down the long hill to the fields at Missouri Western State University, where the Chiefs hold camp. Then he jumped right into his first practice since Mia Bieniemy was shot the evening of July 26.
“It was good to have EB back, back in full. I don’t think he missed a snap he was out there,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Listen, I was talking to him several times a day. I knew when he was coming back. The primary thing is that Mia is stable, that she’s doing well.”
Elijah Bieniemy has been charged with malicious wounding, the use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. His court appearances have been delayed pending a mental health evaluation.
Eric Bieniemy, who returned to the Chiefs earlier this year, had been staying in touch with Reid and the rest of the staff, and had been watching streams of some practices. In one case, he called Chiefs manager Brett Veach — who was sitting next to Reid — and asked him to hand over the phone, then proceeded to tell the head coach a point of instruction for a running back.
“It was great to have him back out there. Everybody was glad to see him,” Reid said. “I think once you start going, then you’re going. It is like a game. Once you’re in the game, you’re in the game. But he always brings the energy.”
Bieniemy was part of coaching staffs that helped Kansas City reach three Super Bowls and win two of them. But because Reid is the primary play-caller, Bieniemy left to serve as the offensive coordinator with the Washington Commanders, where he would be able to call his own plays and perhaps better position himself for a head coaching job in the NFL.
The Commanders struggled in his lone season there, though, and Bieniemy and the rest of the staff were let go. He spent a season with UCLA and last season coached the running backs with the Chicago Bears before returning to Kansas City as the offensive coordinator.
He replaced Matt Nagy, who was hired as the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants.
“Obviously it’s great to have him back. We missed him and prayed for his family when he was out,” Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said. “But to have a guy like that come back to the field, man, a competitor — it brings out the best in us.”
NOTES: WRs Rashee Rice (knee) and Cyrus Allen (bone bruise) both participated in 11-on-11 work during the padded practice. … DE Ashton Gillotte (hamstring), CB L’Jarius Snead (knee) and LB Drue Tranquill (back) worked off to the side. … RG Trey Smith (hip) was still out of practice, pushing rookie OL Khalil Benson from tackle to guard. Jaylon Moore took first-team reps at tackle.
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