Kansas City Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy spoke to the media after practice on Tuesday, Aug. 18. It marked his first time doing so since his wife, Mia Bieniemy, was shot at their home in Virginia on July 26.

“First and foremost, I want to say this,” Bieniemy began. “Thank you, guys, for all the love, the support. Obviously, you know the unfortunate circumstances which took place is very hurtful in a way. But on top of that, I just respect that you guys are respecting our privacy, and hats off to you. I also would like to say thank you to the Hunt family, the entire Chiefs family, for the outpouring, the love, and the support that my family has received through this particular situation.”

Mia was allegedly shot multiple times by the couple’s son, Elijah Zion Bieniemy. She is in stable condition and on the road to recovery.

“Yes, she is on the road to recovery,” Eric said of Mia. “Yes, she is doing great. It’s one of the main reasons why I’m back here because of her recovery. She’s truly a soldier. She’s a saint, and it’s been incredible to watch, but with that said, you know I was driving her and a bunch of my family members crazy in the house, so she was like, ‘You have my blessing to leave.’ So it was time to come back.”

Bieniemy officially returned to St. Joseph, Missouri, to rejoin the team at training camp on Aug. 10.

How Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy stayed connected while he was away

Even while he was home getting things settled with his family, Coach Bieniemy joined the team’s training camp practices from afar. He watched practice via livestream and reviewed tape afterward. He spoke on that process and how it kept him connected to the team.

“I wasn’t always watching, but when things kind of settled back home, I had an opportunity to tap in,” Bieniemy said. “Technology is pretty impressive now. You can watch practice live through a stream, and I had an opportunity to go through the script, and my language probably got a little colorful in the house, and I had a bunch of family members that were there that never really heard some of the language that was used. But I had a great time, and it felt good just to see the guys work. But on top of that, just to feel like I was still a part of it.”

Yes, Bieniemy was the same coach, out on the practice fields in St. Joe, while he watched film from afar.

“Yelling at the screen, yelling at players, yelling at coaches, ‘What the hell are we doing?’ You know, I was doing everything,” Bieniemy explained. “I’m yelling at myself. ‘Why would you put that play in?’ But at the end of the day, it was just making sure I can keep up with what was going on… I just wanted to make sure that I can remain focused and locked in when I could have an opportunity.”

Back to football for Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy

Football has been a part of his life since he was six years old. In many ways, his football family has become an extension of his family. The support he received from players like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce proves that.

“It means a lot,” Bieniemy said. “I mean, I’ve known those guys, seems like forever now, and you develop these relationships and these bonds. And as I said, we become a member of each other’s family, and it means a lot not only to have great players, but more importantly, great people that happen to be great players that care about you. Not just as a coach, but care about you and know who you are as a person, as a family man, and so it means a lot.”

As he shifts his focus back to football fully, those lasting bonds and friendships are what he’s leaning on for support. At the end of the day, they’re all united in the same common goal of getting prepared for the upcoming season.

“I’ve had an opportunity to make a number of great friends over the years, and those friendships last,” Bieniemy said. “The bonds that you form are very strong, and you end up developing these instant relationships with things that you have in common. And so, this is a beautiful sport. I know, obviously, you have your highs and lows with what takes place on the field, but when it’s all said and done, it’s all about people being united for one common goal. That’s bringing people together for the same common reasons because we all want to win. But on top of that, we understand the importance of being accountable to one another.”