Kenneth Walker addresses Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy’s absence from training camp after personal tragedy

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesKansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III shared his feelings on OC Eric Bieniemy’s absence from training camp.

>Bieniemy is dealing with a significant personal issue after a shooting at his house left his wife injured and his son in custody.

>The OC is crucial to the Chiefs’ hopes for any title success this season, with Walker making his feelings on the situation clear.

Kenneth Walker promises Eric Bieniemy that the Chiefs will hold it down until he can returnWalker made it clear that he can’t wait for Bieniemy to return from his situation while promising that the team will stay locked in until he can join them.

>“Prayers to his family. We’ll hold it down. When he gets back, we’re ready to have that intensity and that energy. You can’t take a play off because he is going to say something to you about it.”

Walker joined the Chiefs in free agency and was excited to be coached by the legendary OC, but those plans had to be put on hold for a much bigger reason.

>Bieniemy will also be excited to have Walker as an offensive weapon, with him coming into the season as the reigning Super Bowl MVP with the Seattle Seahawks.

>Walker put up 1,027 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns with 31 receptions, 282 receiving yards, and 0 touchdowns last season, eyeing a potentially big season in Kansas City under Bieniemy and Andy Reid.

What happened with Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy?On July 26, 2026, Eric Bieniemy’s wife, Mia (age 57), was shot multiple times at the family’s home in the 20000 block of Northpark Drive in Ashburn, Loudoun County, Virginia.

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty ImagesShe was shot twice with a .22-caliber Ruger firearm: once in the left forearm and once in the left shoulder, undergoing surgery for her injuries, but survived the ordeal.

>Their son, Elijah Zion Bieniemy (age 27), was arrested and charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling.

>Elijah’s public defender stated he ‘appears to suffer from significant mental health issues,’ although there’s no formalized diagnosis. No motive has been revealed for the incident either.

>Eric Bieniemy has no timetable to return to the Chiefs currently, serving as the primary caregiver to their son, Eric Bieniemy III, who has cerebral palsy, as Mia recovers.

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