Colts Officially Hire Shane Steichen As Next Head Coach

On Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts officially hired Shane Steichen as their next head coach. After conducting an extensive search, management chose a candidate known for his fiery personality and willingness to challenge players publicly.

Chris Ballard and owner Jim Isasay had been searching for an inspiring leader, and they found him in Steichen who previously worked with Frank Reich in San Diego.

Why the Colts Hired Shane Steichen

On Tuesday afternoon, after a month-long search and interviews with over a dozen candidates, the Indianapolis Colts officially hired Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their next head coach. At 37 years old, Steichen edged out other finalists Raheem Morris, Rich Bisaccia, Wink Martindale, Brian Callahan and Ejiro Evero for the job.

Steichen was the Eagles offensive coordinator, developing quarterback Jalen Hurts into one of the NFL's most dynamic players. His offense averaged 34.7 points per game and 367.3 yards while converting 26-47 third down situations and going 5-for-5 on fourth down plays. In the Super Bowl, Steichen led his team to an almost perfect season culminating in a 38-35 loss against Kansas City Chiefs.

The Colts need their own quarterback, which is why team owner Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard sought out Steichen to replace Frank Reich. The 37-year-old had previously coached Hurts during two seasons with Philadelphia and helped shape him into an MVP candidate.

Steichen boasts an impressive coaching resume, having worked with quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert in Los Angeles as well as Hurts in Philadelphia for four years. Additionally, he served as head coach of the Chargers during that time.

ESPN's Adam Schefter believes the Colts are likely to develop a young quarterback for their future needs, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 2023 draft class is expected to include Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson; with an option to trade up if interested in selecting a quarterback at the top of the draft.

Steichen has a keen understanding of creating an offense around one player, which the Colts could learn from as they attempt to rebuild around a promising franchise quarterback. His ability to mentor young quarterbacks into stars has been the cornerstone of both his tenure in Philadelphia and Steichen's success.

Steichen will aim for an aggressive core strategy when building the Colts' offense. He wants to build a powerful passing attack, similar to Hurts and Rivers' offenses, while also exploiting each quarterback's athleticism and intelligence on the field. In doing so, Steichen hopes to turn a promising prospect into an NFL star.

Offense

On Tuesday, the Colts officially hired Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their next head coach. General manager Chris Ballard had promised a "consistent, thorough" search for the team's head coach, and his efforts were rewarded by an appointment that will catapult Indianapolis to NFL's upper echelons.

Steichen is an accomplished offensive coordinator with a proven record for developing young quarterbacks. He's had success working with stars like Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert, as well as helping Jalen Hurts blossom into one of the league's most captivating players last season.

In the NFL, offense is often key to winning games. If a franchise cannot develop an offense that consistently scores points, they won't be competitive. That's why the Colts are eager to bring Steichen to Indianapolis.

He's a well-connected former Chargers assistant coach who has been coaching for the Eagles since 2021. That includes two years working alongside Reich and an established relationship with Sirianni.

Steichen led the league's most productive rushing attack and helped guide Philadelphia to one of the top three scoring teams in the NFL. Additionally, he guided Justin Herbert to an AP offensive rookie of the year campaign in 2020 and Philip Rivers to his best season ever in 2018.

Of course, having a successful offense is not enough for any coach; they must also be able to assemble an experienced staff that can execute their plans. It's likely that Steichen will look to retain Gus Bradley - his defensive coordinator from San Diego for four seasons - who he worked alongside during that period.

Steichen will have the responsibility of finding and developing a young quarterback to lead the team into the future. Therefore, he needs to devise a strategy that allows him to select one in the first round and build his team around him.

That is no small feat; it requires careful consideration and perseverance if the Colts want to find a quality starter for their rebuilding franchise. That won't be an easy task.

Defensive

Steichen boasts an impressive defensive resume. He began his career as an assistant coach at Louisville, serving as quality control coach before transitioning to the Chargers' defense in 2011 and serving as their defensive assistant for two seasons.

At that time, he also served as Cleveland Browns' offensive quality control coach and, for one season, an associate head coach and offensive coordinator under Chuck Pagano at the Indianapolis Colts.

Steichen's defensive experience and connections around the league were what ultimately earned him this job. While working at San Diego, he met an ex-Colts head coach and has worked on multiple NFL offensive lines.

If the Colts do select a quarterback in the draft, it could help develop one for their young roster. As such, the franchise has taken an aggressive approach to selecting players since Andrew Luck's retirement last year.

Another major selling point for the Colts was Steichen's quarterback expertise. He has an impressive track record in developing starting quarterbacks, from Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert to Jalen Hurts.

He served as the Eagles' quarterbacks coach for two years, helping Hurts blossom into an MVP candidate. Furthermore, Hurts helped shape their passing attack into a potent one that put them in position to make another Super Bowl run this season.

The Colts conducted an exhaustive and protracted search for their next head coach, interviewing a wide array of candidates. Steichen was among those considered as finalist along with Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and interim Colts head coach Jeff Saturday.

After hours of evaluation, the Colts officially hired Steichen as their next head coach on Tuesday afternoon. Owner Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard made the announcement during a press conference at team headquarters in Indianapolis.

Irsay stated the Colts sought a coach who would give their quarterbacks more responsibility and accountability. Additionally, he expressed his desire to create an even-handed defense, including run defense as well as pass defense.

Special Teams

Steichen has extensive coaching experience working with quarterbacks. His coaching resume includes stints with Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, the Cleveland Browns, and Philadelphia Eagles where he developed Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert.

He began his tenure with the Chargers as offensive coordinator, where he helped craft a multifaceted offense capable of scoring points and creating an edge against defenses. Furthermore, he has an in-depth knowledge of special teams' impact on football teams' overall success.

Steichen also possess an expert understanding of how to construct an offense around a young and developing quarterback - something essential when the Colts consider selecting one with their first-round pick in 2023. This ability is rare among coaches, making him particularly valuable to Indianapolis as they search for their new quarterback.

Steichen's transformation as an unproven second-round draft pick with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts began during their two seasons together. This season he threw for 3,701 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions while also running for 760 yards and 13 scores during his sophomore campaign.

Steichen has extensive experience coaching young and developing quarterbacks, so he understands how their abilities evolve over time and how to construct an efficient system for them. Furthermore, his offense can be tailored according to each quarterback's comfort level and how the team plays. This knowledge has been invaluable as he continues to shape his offense accordingly.

Therefore, the Colts believe they can build a successful franchise around Steichen and his offensive philosophy - including how he approaches special teams play.

Take the Steelers, for instance. Head coach Mike Tomlin has always prioritized his team's special teams unit. While they may be known for their running game and ability to score big on defense, Tomlin understands that in order to be a top-five team in the NFL, they need to improve on this area as well.