Head coach Shane Steichen is having a fantastic season with the Indianapolis Colts. When it’s all said and done, he could possibly win NFL Coach of the Year or finish as a candidate for the award.
Steichen’s Colts are currently 5-5. That’s definitely not an elite record by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, it’s impressive knowing that they’ve been playing without their starting quarterback: rookie Anthony Richardson. Richardson, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, went down with an AC joint sprain during Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans. The injury will keep him out for the rest of the season.
With Richardson sidelined, veteran backup Gardner Minshew has taken over as the starting quarterback. Steichen has done an incredible job keeping Minshew and the gang on track and competing for a playoff spot.
Shane Steichen Is A Legitimate NFL Coach of the Year Candidate
Coach of the Year Candidates Right Now
This is Steichen’s first year as an NFL head coach. He isn’t the AFC South’s only rookie coach, though. DeMeco Ryans is running the show for the Houston Texans, who are led by rookie phenom quarterback C.J. Stroud. The Texans were supposed to be one of the league’s worst teams this season. Yet, Ryans has guided his club to a 6-4 record.
Kevin O’Connell has the Minnesota Vikings at 6-5. That’s not bad at all, especially since they’ve won five games without superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson and two without quarterback Kirk Cousins. Minnesota has won games with three different quarterbacks: Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, and Jaren Hall.
The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, currently own the best record in the NFC North (8-2), thanks to the leadership of head coach Dan Campbell. They may be on their way to winning their first division title since way back in 1993.
Other Coach of the Year candidates include guys like Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns). Tomlin, who’s in his 17th season with the Steelers, has surprisingly never won Coach of the Year. Stefanski won the award in 2020.
Shane Steichen Deserves Recognition
It’s not mind-blowing that Steichen is succeeding as a head coach so far. Serving as an offensive coordinator last season, he helped guide the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance.
Shane Steichen is basically an offensive guru. His Colts have scored at least 20 points in all but one game this year. The only game they didn’t score 20 was their recent 10-6 victory over the New England Patriots in Germany. Indianapolis had an awful 2022 campaign, going 4-12-1. Coach Frank Reich won three of those contests before getting fired midway through the season. Interim coach Jeff Saturday picked up the other victory.
In just 10 games this year under Steichen, the Colts already have one more win than they did all of last season. It’ll be interesting to see how many wins this team can accumulate by the season’s end. The Colts could very well make the postseason or come close to making it. If either scenario happens, you have to label Steichen a serious candidate for Coach of the Year.
Main Photo: Jenna Watson – USA Today Sports
