Chiefs’ Eric Bieniemy spent nearly the entire season in a hotel to protect his son
The NFL managed to play the entire 2020 season without having teams go into a bubble, which is a remarkable feat considering it was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were problems to be certain, as game days were postponed and the Broncos were forced to play a game without a quarterback.
But the full regular-season schedule was completed and there were no interruptions during the postseason.
Sports Illustrated’s Jenny Vrentas wrote a story about the challenges the NFL faced, and shared one of the stresses that Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy endured.
From July 23 through the Super Bowl, Vrentas reported, Bieniemy stayed in a hotel and away from his wife, Mia, and their two sons.
“Bieniemy’s older son, Eric III, has cerebral palsy and respiratory issues, making the 26-year-old high risk for contracting COVID-19,” Vrentas wrote. “To keep him safe, Bieniemy made this private sacrifice for the entirety of the 2020 season: He would stay in a hotel six nights out of the week and only return home on Fridays — but wearing double masks, keeping a distance and sleeping in the basement.”
Bieniemy said it wasn’t easy.
“It’s been this way for the past six months,” Bieniemy told Vrentas before Super Bowl LV. “It’s been a challenge.”
While Bieniemy was undoubtedly disappointed he didn’t get a head-coaching job this offseason despite speaking with multiple teams during the postseason, it sounds like he had plenty of other things on his mind.
This story was originally published March 16, 2021 at 9:34 AM.
