Steele Fired Over DWI
Washington Commanders Fire Tight Ends Coach Ben Steele Before Training Camp Over Reported DWI
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Key Points
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Steele's coaching résumé extends beyond the Cardinals: he spent three seasons as the Cardinals' tight ends coach and previously served as an assistant offensive line coach with the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings; he has also worked with the Falcons and Buccaneers during his career.
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The firing came one day before veterans report to training camp, and the team provided no further comment on the reason for Steele's departure.
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Reports indicate Steele's dismissal was tied to a policy violation, and he faced a June 7 arrest on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, with additional charges for refusing a blood/breath test and obstructing or resisting an officer without force.
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Dan Quinn is expected to name a replacement tight ends coach on Tuesday, as the full Commanders squad is due to report to training camp.
The Washington Commanders have fired tight ends coach Ben Steele just days before training camp, following his arrest on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, according to ESPN. The team released a brief statement saying it was parting ways with Steele but offered no further explanation.
Steele was arrested on June 7 in Loudoun County, Virginia, according to Sporting News. The charges included refusing a blood or breath test and obstructing or resisting an officer without force. The Commanders had placed him on paid leave while they reviewed the situation.
DWI Arrest Triggered Policy Review and Firing
Steele's June 7 arrest set off an internal review by the Commanders, Sporting News reported. The team placed him on paid leave during that process. The firing came after the team determined he had violated team policy. Washington confirmed the move via a short post on X, formerly known as Twitter, with no added comment, according to FanBuzz.
The arrest included three charges: driving while intoxicated, refusing a chemical test, and resisting an officer without force. Those details came from reporting by Nicki Jhabvala, cited by ESPN. The combination of the arrest and the policy violation appears to have sealed Steele's fate with the organization.
Timing Puts Dan Quinn in a Tough Spot
The firing came one day before veterans were set to report to training camp, according to Yahoo Sports. That left head coach Dan Quinn scrambling to fill a key role on his offensive staff. Offensive assistant Wes Welker stepped in to run tight ends drills during minicamp as a short-term fix.
Quinn is expected to name a permanent replacement on Tuesday, the same day the full squad reports to camp. The abrupt change raises questions about continuity for a tight ends group preparing for the new season. Washington has given no public timeline beyond that for filling the spot.
Steele Brought a Deep NFL Coaching Resume to Washington
Steele was hired this offseason as part of Dan Quinn's new offensive coaching staff. He most recently spent three seasons as tight ends coach with the Arizona Cardinals. Before that, he served as an assistant offensive line coach with the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings, according to Sporting News.
He also had stints with the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier in his career. His experience made him a reasonable hire. The firing now wipes that investment away before he coached a single regular-season game with Washington.
Washington Stays Silent as Camp Pressure Mounts
The Commanders have not given any detailed public statement beyond confirming the split, according to FanBuzz. That silence has left reporters and fans to piece together the story from court records and league sources. The lack of comment is unusual given the timing and the speed of the decision.
Teams rarely fire position coaches days before camp without a serious reason. The combination of a DWI arrest and a policy violation appears to have left Quinn and the front office no other choice. Washington now heads into camp one coach short, with a replacement search underway under a tight deadline, Yahoo Sports reported.
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