The Washington Commanders have parted ways with tight ends coach Ben Steele, the team announced Monday, just two days before training camp is set to open and more than a month after an off field legal incident involving the coach came to light.
The team confirmed that Steele’s dismissal was tied to a violation of team policy, following an incident in June that had already led to him being placed on leave during the spring practice period.
What led to the coaching change
According to court records, Steele was stopped by local law enforcement in the early morning hours near the team’s training facility in early June, an encounter that ultimately led to charges related to impaired driving as well as a separate charge tied to resisting without force. Court documents indicate he declined to complete a requested test at the time of his arrest and was released without having to post bond. He is scheduled to appear in court next month to address the charges.
How the team managed the coaching gap this spring
Steele had already been placed on leave by the organization following the incident, missing the final stretch of spring practices as well as mandatory minicamp the following week. During that absence, an offensive assistant and the team’s pass game coordinator, who had previously served as the tight ends coach for the two prior seasons, stepped in to oversee the position group in his place.
Commanders officials had brought Steele in during the offseason specifically to fill that tight ends coaching role after the previous coach’s promotion. His firing now leaves the organization needing to determine a longer term plan for the position heading into the regular season.
Steele’s coaching background before joining Washington
Prior to arriving in Commanders territory, Steele spent three seasons on Arizona’s coaching staff, where he was credited with contributing to the notable development of one of the team’s standout tight ends. Earlier in his coaching career, he worked as an offensive assistant in Atlanta before being promoted to tight ends coach there the following year.
Steele’s football background also includes a playing career that spanned several organizations in the early 2000s before he transitioned into coaching. Over the years, his coaching stops have included time with organizations in Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Denver, giving him a lengthy résumé across multiple NFL franchises before this latest chapter in Washington came to an abrupt end.
What comes next for the Commanders
With training camp beginning in just days, the organization will need to quickly determine how to handle the tight ends position moving forward, whether through an internal promotion or a new external hire. The timing adds an extra layer of complexity to preparations, though the team’s decision to move on from Steele signals that maintaining organizational standards took priority even with camp on the immediate horizon.
