The Indianapolis Colts are hiring Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their new head coach, making him the team’s 11th head coach since arriving in Indianapolis in 1984.
After an extensive five-week search that included as many as 13 candidates, the team lands one of the brightest young minds in football.
Here are seven things to know about new head coach Shane Steichen:
1
Second youngest coach in franchise history
There’s something to be said about the youth movement across the league. The next wave of incredible minds and impressive talents is from coaches in their thirties, led by Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay.
Shane Steichen falls into that category at 37 years old. Hiring him makes Steichen the second youngest head coach in franchise history, just after Don Shula, who was 33 years old when he was hired as the head coach of the Baltimore Colts in 1963.
Worth noting:
*Steichen, 37, would be 2nd-youngest HC in Colts' history. Don Shula was 33 in 1963.
*Steichen would be NFL's 3rd-youngest HC, trailing 2 other 37-year olds – Rams Sean McVay and Vikings Kevin O'Connell. https://t.co/xyVJgLTcZs— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) February 12, 2023
At 37 years and 275 days, Steichen also will be the third-youngest head coach in the NFL behind Sean McVay (37-20) and Kevin O’Connell (37-262).
2
UNLV started his coaching aspirations
The University of Las Vegas greatly influenced Steichen’s dreams of being a head coach. Steichen was the quarterback at UNLV from 2003 to 2006 and noticed something different during his sophomore year. He credits coach John Robinson with significantly impacting him on and off the field.
“My sophomore year of college, that’s when I was all-in on the coaching part of it,” Steichen said. “I always really enjoyed the X’s and O’s, but then it was watching the film, trying to dissect defenses and all of that stuff.”
3
He has deep ties to San Diego/Los Angeles
Steichen spent much of his career building his foundation with the San Diego Chargers. Hired initially as a defensive assistant coach (2011-2012) and then transitioning to the offensive side of the ball, Steichen has worked with the likes of Phillip Rivers and emerging quarterback Justin Herbert. In 2019, Rivers spoke highly of Steichen, praising him for their work together, including his ability to trust in his quarterback’s vision.
Here, from a Nov. 2019 version of @TheMMQB (https://t.co/6JbG41427r), is what Rivers said to me on Steichen. This was the first game after Ken Whisenhunt was fired, and Steichen was installed as the team's OC. pic.twitter.com/LOy5RLWJh9
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 12, 2023
4
An explosive, yet balanced offense is his specialty
Steichen has been calling plays for the Eagles since 2021, and under his guidance during the 2022 season, the Eagles ranked third in yards and points per game. The Eagles averaged 147.6 rushing yards per game, which should bode well for the Colts’ running back room.
Steichen also has experience creating a balanced attack, something the Colts struggled to do in 2022. Much of the Eagles’ early success, eventually leading to a 14-3 record, hinged mainly on their plays being 61% passing and just under 39% running.
5
His peers see greatness in him
When asked about Steichen, current Eagles head coach, and former Colts’ offensive coordinator, Nick Sirianni felt confident in Steichen’s ability to lead a team, saying, “He’ll be a great head coach. He can connect with guys, hold them accountable, and he’s been around many great coaches.”
Perhaps the loudest endorsement of Steichen’s abilities was former Colts’ receiver Austin Collie, who likened his passion to Colts legend and Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.
“I definitely think his approach to the game, I can tell you, it’s similar to the likes of Peyton Manning. Only because they both have a very unique passion for football…He has an understanding of the game that not many people have.”
6
Success with a variety of QBs
One reason the Colts may have felt more comfortable with Steichen over other candidates likely is due to the success he’s had with a diverse set of quarterbacks. He spent four seasons as the quarterbacks coach to Philip Rivers and found success leading offenses that had Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. Between those three signal-callers, the variety of skill sets doesn’t get more diverse. That bodes well for a Colts team that is likely to draft a quarterback at No. 4 overall at the end of April.
7
A compromise on intensity
If there was one aspect of Frank Reich’s tenure that some Colts players felt they needed more from, it was the intensity. While Reich is a cool-mannered, methodical personality, part of the reason Jeff Saturday was the interim hire was because of the intensity he showed Jim Irsay. According to Nate Atkins of The Indianapolis Star, Steichen brings the right type of balance in that department to check boxes on both sides.
“Steichen’s intensity wasn’t a fit for every team, but it can be for a Colts locker room that has asked for some more public displays of player accountability,” wrote Atkins. “Steichen’s experience climbing the coaching ladder from defensive assistant to offensive quality control to quarterbacks coach to non-play calling offensive coordinator to the voice in Jalen Hurts’ ear adds some substance to the style. He’s a compromise on the spectrum from Reich to Saturday.”
