With Eric Bieniemy returning for his second stint with the Kansas City Chiefs, he is supposed to be in the headlines. But along with him, his son Elijah Bieniemy is also grabbing the spotlight, but not for the right reasons. Things have been tough for Eric, whose wife suffered a horrific tragedy. Turns out Elijah is allegedly involved in the act as the case moves to court. 

“Elijah Bieniemy’s criminal case is moving forward after a psychological evaluation determined that the son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is competent to receive counsel and understand the charges against him,” reported ESPN’s Tom Schad on September 9. 

On July 26, 57-year-old Mia Bieniemy was allegedly shot by Elijah at the family’s home in Virginia. Things looked serious as she had to be rushed to the hospital. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said 27-year-old Elijah was arrested on charges of malicious wounding, firearm use in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm inside a dwelling. ESPN sources reported that Mia was shot in the chest and arms. 

The coach’s son was represented by a public defender, Lorie O’Donnell, who wanted Elijah to go through a mental health evaluation before the case could proceed. 

“The defendant appears to suffer from significant mental health issues,” the public defender, wrote in a court filing requesting the evaluation.

The competency evaluation was filed under seal on Sept. 3 and cleared the way for Elijah’s criminal case to proceed. His new attorney told reporters after Wednesday’s hearing that Bieniemy was deemed competent. His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 4. While Elijah takes the next step in his court proceedings, Eric and his wife will take some time to recover from the mishap.

The surveillance camera footage shared by the neighbours with News 4 showed the police breaking into the house through the main door. Moments later, they rushed a woman down the sidewalk. What followed next was a man being taken out in handcuffs. According to the reports, Elijah allegedly shot his mother with a 22 caliber gun twice. It led to serious injury, and Mia had to undergo urgent surgery to remove the bullet that “traveled across her chest,” per the complaint. 

Elijah had a preliminary hearing for August 31st in Loudoun County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, since the crime had taken place within the family members. 

“Neighbors in this community are really scratching their heads,” reported Drew Wilder of NBC Washington on July 28. “They say Elijah was quiet, kept himself, said there was never really any sign of trouble. Of course, we never know. You know, what families are going through, what might be happening inside someone else’s home. But as far as the criminal complaint documents that I looked through in court today, no indication of any possible motive or what might have led up to the shooting here last night.”

As reports started pouring in, The Athletic obtained something interesting from the public records request. Per the reports, a 27-year-old man calling from the Bieniemy address told authorities that “his parents are withholding his weapons and that he’s a certified UFC fighter so now he feels like he cannot defend himself.”

The report, however, did not name the caller. 

He also said his parents took possession of his firearms as a condition of allowing him to remain in the home, telling him he could have them back when needed. He alleged they then refused to return the firearms when he planned to visit a shooting range.

As the Bieniemy family went through a tough time, Eric Bieniemy stayed committed to his job. 

Eric Bieniemy Keeps His Focus Amid Personal Challenges

The news of Mia getting shot came as a shock to the Chiefs squad. After all, the team’s bond with Eric has spanned over nine years. So, the Kansas City head coach has been understanding enough when the offensive coordinator remained away from team practice to attend to his wife. 

“Eric’s a big part of this. [We] love having him here,” Andy Reid said. “But right now, it’s important that he takes care of business. And everybody knows that. So everybody’s game is picked up and they’re all working hard. Eric will be back soon enough to jump in there and do his thing.”

This is going to be a crucial season for Eric as he will have to revive the team after a 6-11 season. A major factor behind their downfall was the struggling offense. He made sure to be part of the 2026 training camp, watching and attending practices online via live streams. Finally, after a two-week absence, he returned on August 10, missing 11 practices in between. 

“I’ve talked to him several times a day, so I knew he was coming back if everything worked out the way he had been,” shared Reid. “The primary thing is that Mia is stable and in good hands, and she’s doing well.”

It will now be Eric’s responsibility to keep his family struggles aside and make his second chance at Kansas City a hit.