INDIANAPOLIS – Fresh off calling plays in the Super Bowl, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen is about to become the youngest head coach in the history of the Indianapolis Colts.
Steichen, 37, has agreed to terms to be the new HC of the Colts, with a press conference expected for later this week.
Interestingly, Steichen hails from a Frank Reich/Nick Sirianni coaching tree.
Steichen was the offensive coordinator Sirianni chose when he took over as Eagles head coach in 2021. After Sirianni called plays to begin his head coaching career, he ended up passing those duties to Steichen. And it helped lead to the Eagles winning 6 of 7 games and making the playoffs in ’21.
What really stands out about Steichen’s resume is his quarterback history.
He’s been with the Eagles for the last two years, helping guide Jalen Hurts into one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
With the Chargers, Steichen spent one year with Justin Herbert as offensive coordinator. Herbert became the Offensive Rookie of the Year with Steichen calling the plays.
Prior to that, Steichen worked closely with Philip Rivers, serving as his QB coach from 2016-19. Steichen and Rivers remain close to this day.
Easily the biggest appeal to the Colts hiring Steichen is the growing trend of young, offensive coaches finding success in the NFL.
In being around Rivers, Herbert and Hurts, Steichen has seen and had to adapt to a variety of styles of quarterbacks.
That has to be particularly enticing to the Colts as they are in line to draft a franchise quarterback this April.
Steichen actually began his NFL career coaching defense with the Chargers in 2011-12, before moving to the offensive side of the ball. Norv Turner was the head coach of the Chargers back then with the two having connections dating back to Steichen’s playing days at UNLV.
The history between Steichen and Reich was for two seasons, with Reich as the Chargers OC and Steichen as the Chargers offensive quality control coach.
Back in 2019, when the Chargers promoted Steichen to interim offensive coordinator/play caller, Reich shared some comments on his former assistant.
“(He’s) a really, really smart good football coach – a really good mind,” Reich said of Steichen. “He played quarterback in college. I would categorize him as one of the young bright minds in this league much like Nick Sirianni. I mean he and Nick are a lot alike. So you guys know what I think of Nick and I’d put Shane kind of in that same category.”
It was with the Chargers where Steichen also had several years of working on the same staff as Gus Bradley.
During the 2020 season, Steichen and Bradley actually squared off on a daily basis at practice with Steichen coordinating the Chargers offense and Bradley coordinating the Chargers defense.
Based off that relationship, the Colts could very well retain Bradley as their defensive coordinator for a second season.
When the Colts met the Eagles earlier this season, Steichen shared these comments on facing Bradley (the Colts ended up holding the Eagles to a season-low 17 points when Jalen Hurts started).
“I’ve got a ton of respect for Gus Bradley,” Steichen said. “I worked with him for 4 years in L.A. Hell of a football coach, hell of a human being.”
Steichen played the quarterback position growing up, with a collegiate stint at UNLV.
Stay tuned to 1075TheFan.com for more on the hiring of Steichen.
Shane Steichen’s Coaching History
-2010: Louisville Offensive Assistant
-2011-12: San Diego Chargers Defensive Assistant
-2013: Cleveland Browns Offensive Quality Control
-2014-15: San Diego Chargers Offensive Quality Control
-2016-19: San Diego Chargers Quarterbacks Coach
-2020: San Diego Chargers Offensive Coordinator
-2021-22: Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Coordinator
