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Former Louisville assistant Shane Steichen named HC of the Colts

By Cameron Franck

Shane Steichen, center, poses for photos with Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay, left, and General Manager Chris Ballard after a press conference Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 announcing that Steichen is the new Indianapolis Colts Head Coach.Shane Steichen Is The New Indianapolis Colts Head Coach
Shane Steichen, center, poses for photos with Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay, left, and General Manager Chris Ballard after a press conference Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 announcing that Steichen is the new Indianapolis Colts Head Coach.Shane Steichen Is The New Indianapolis Colts Head Coach /
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Newly installed Head Coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Shane Steichen, originally cut his teeth in the coaching world as an offensive assistant for the University of Louisville in 2010. This was the first season under then-Head Coach Charlie Strong, who Louisville plucked from the University of Florida defensive staff.

Charlie Strong was announced as the new Head Coach on December 9, 2009 and thirteen days later on December 22, 2009, Charlie Strong announced Mike Sanford Sr. as his offensive coordinator. Sanford was available on the coaching market because the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) fired him from his Head Coach position, after going 16-43 in five seasons with the Rebels.

So, Shane Steichen had the pleasure of working under one of the worst head coaches in UNLV history. Steichen, Sanford, Strong and the rest of the coaching staff would lead the Louisville Cardinals to a 7-6 record in 2010 and soon after Steichen would have his eyes fixed on the National Football League.

After one lone season in Louisville, Kentucky, he traveled cross country to become a defensive assistant for the San Diego Chargers for the 2011 season. This must have been unusual for him because his entire football career was spent on the offensive side of the ball.

He played quarterback for the UNLV Rebels from 2003-2006, and then would go on to become an offensive assistant four years later. Now, on the defensive side of the ball until 2012, Steichen would be introduced to a whole new perspective of the game.

But, his time on the other side of the ball would not go any further as he would become an offensive quality control coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2013. After the short stint in Ohio, he would return to San Diego to assume the same position for the Chargers, and would stay with the program during its transition to Los Angeles in 2017; and would ultimately depart the organization for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020 after being promoted all the way up to offensive coordinator.

Once former Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni was hired by the Eagles in 2021, he called his old buddy Shane Steichen to come join him in Philadelphia. Sirianni and Steichen overlapped as coaches on the Chargers staff between 2013-2017.

Now, Shane Steichen has been hired by Sirianni’s former team to become their next Head Coach, filling the vacant role since Frank Reich was fired midseason last year. Former Indianapolis Colts starting center for Peyton Manning, Jeff Saturday, filled the interim Head Coach role from early November 2022 until the end of the season.

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