INDIANAPOLIS – The quarterback resume is impressive, but it also has some variety to it.
Shane Steichen has worked with Philip Rivers, his position coach with the Chargers from 2016-19.
Then the Chargers entrusted Steichen to be the offensive coordinator for Justin Herbert’s rookie season.
Steichen’s offensive coordinator life then moved to Philadelphia in 2021 when he joined up with old friend Nick Sirianni. After Sirianni initially decided to call plays in his first season with the Eagles, he ended up passing that on to Steichen. The results with Jalen Hurts were tremendous in closing out the 2021 season, and then in Philly’s run to the Super Bowl this past year.
However you want to measure it, all three of Rivers, Herbert and Hurts have had some strong levels of success at the NFL.
They also are 3 different quarterbacks.
You’ve got one guy was at the end of his career and then two others who were just getting used to life in the NFL.
It is experience like that in which the Colts hope will be beneficial in developing the next franchise quarterback here in Indianapolis.
Rivers and Steichen remain close to this day. Rivers was always fond of Steichen’s intellect as the young Chargers assistant was promoted on three separate occasions, across two different head coaches. In coaching Rivers (Steichen was Rivers QB coach from 2016-19), not only did Steichen see how one of the game’s most impressive quarterback careers, in terms of longevity, operated as a pure pocket passer, but he had to do it by having a stationary signal caller.
After Rivers left the Chargers in 2020, Steichen went from interim offensive coordinator to the full-time OC for then rookie Justin Herbert.
The Chargers turned to Herbert in Week Two of his rookie season and he started the rest of that year, setting an NFL record with 31 touchdown passes for a first-year player. In throwing 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, Herbert became the Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Nick Sirianni wanted Steichen to be his offensive coordinator when he took the Eagles head job in 2021. Initially, it was Sirianni calling the plays for the Eagles. But he ended up giving those duties to Steichen mid-way through the 2021 season.
With Steichen calling the plays down the stretch, the Eagles made the playoffs in Year One with Jalen Hurts as the full-time starter. And that turned into an MVP-caliber season from Hurts this past year, ending in the Super Bowl.
From what the offense looked like for Steichen calling plays for Rivers to what he’s called for Hurts, there’s a lot of evolution and variety.
If you don’t get quarterback right in the NFL, you aren’t sniffing sustained success.
That’s why this Steichen background, particularly the range of quarterbacks, makes sense for a Colts hire.