The Chicago Bears have hired former Tennessee Titans assistant coach Luke Steckel as their new assistant offensive line coach.
Steckel will work alongside offensive line coach Chris Morgan, who was hired last year, to help get this offensive line on track in 2023. There’s an argument to be made we could see an entirely new starting five in 2023, and it’s clear there’s plenty of work to be done to get this unit where it needs to be to help the offense as a whole.
Here are five things to know about the Bears’ newest assistant coach in Steckel:
1
Steckel boasts 14 years of NFL experience
Steckel comes to the Bears with 14 years of NFL coaching experience, which includes stints with the Browns and Titans. Steckel got his start with the Browns as assistant to the head coach from 2009-12.
For the next 10 years, Steckel spent time with Tennessee, which included serving as offensive assistant/special assistant to the head coach (2013). Steckel received promotions in the years that followed, including offensive assistant coach (2014-16, 2018-20), assistant receivers coach (2017) and tight ends coach (2021-22).
2
Steckel interviewed for Chargers offensive coordinator job this offseason
Before Steckel joined the Bears coaching staff, he received interest from the Chargers for their offensive coordinator position this offseason. The job ultimately went to Kellen Moore, who spent the previous five seasons coaching with the Cowboys as the quarterbacks coach (2018) and offensive coordinator (2019-22).
Still, Steckel is highly regarded around the league, and he should see more opportunities in the future. Not to mention, he now has the experience of interviewing for the job. The Chargers’ loss is the Bears’ gain.
3
Steckel is the son of longtime NFL assistant Les Steckel
Football runs in the Steckel family as Luke’s father is longtime NFL assistant Les Steckel, who boasts 20 years of coaching experience at the pro level. That includes stops with the 49ers (1978), Vikings (1979-84), Patriots (1985-88), Broncos (1993-94), Oilers/Titans (1995-99), Buccaneers (2000) and Bills (2003).
After serving as the Vikings wide receivers coach from 1979-83, he was promoted to head coach for the 1984 season. But the team went 3-13 — their worst record since the merger — and Steckel was fired.
4
Steckel graduated from Princeton
Steckel is a Princeton graduate with a degree in political economy. He played linebacker from 2004-06, where he was a three-year letterman. He was a co-captain on defense and led the Tigers to a 9-1 record and the Ivy League Championship during his senior season in 2006.
Steckel, 37, is highly regarded and respected by players and peers across the league.
5
Steckel worked in Hollywood before joining the NFL
Before Steckel was an assistant coach in the NFL, he had a short stint in Hollywood. He moved to Los Angeles, Calif., after graduating Princeton and worked as a production assistant on Fast & Furious and All About Steve.
Steckel was gearing up to start working on Iron Man 2 before receiving a phone call from then-Browns head coach Eric Mangini, who hired him as an assistant to serve as a liaison between the coaching staff and the organization in January 2009.
