Commanders fire tight ends coach Ben Steele
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- Washington Commanders fired tight ends coach Ben Steele just days before training camp, issuing a brief Monday statement with no further comment.
- Steele was arrested June 7 in Virginia on suspicion of DWI and faces additional charges for refusing a blood or breath test and obstructing an officer without force.
- The Athletic reported the dismissal stemmed from a team policy violation, with the Commanders placing Steele on leave after he disclosed the arrest and notifying the NFL.
- Offensive assistant Wes Welker ran tight ends during minicamp in Steele's absence, and head coach Dan Quinn is expected to announce a permanent replacement Tuesday.
- Steele, 48, joined Washington this offseason after three years coaching tight ends in Arizona, where he helped Trey McBride set an NFL positional record with 126 catches in 2025.
- Quinn's broader staff overhaul followed a 5-12 season, replacing offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury with first-time play-caller David Blough and swapping defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. for Daronte Jones.
Why it matters: A coach hired this offseason is gone days before camp, forcing Quinn — already replacing both coordinators after a 5-12 finish — to plug a hole on the fly. The new tight ends coach inherits zero on-field prep with players before Wednesday's camp opener and the Aug. 12 joint practice with Miami.
