INDIANAPOLIS — The first box on new Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen’s to-do list has been checked.
The Colts released Steichen’s full coaching staff, a staff that brings back nearly all of Gus Bradley’s defensive staff but retains just two offensive assistants off Frank Reich’s previous staff, wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne and his assistant, Brian Bratton.
A few of Bradley’s assistants received promotions.
But ultimately, Steichen hired just eight new coaches, and the decision to retain a significant portion of Reich’s staff likely helped the new Colts head coach finish the task of building out his staff in a little more than two weeks.
From here on out, Steichen will get into the work of evaluating the current Indianapolis roster, offering his input to general manager Chris Ballard in the free-agent period that begins next week and, most importantly, dive into the work of fixing a quarterbacking depth chart that ultimately sank the Colts next season.
“I’m just finishing out the staff right now,” Steichen said in his NFL scouting combine press conference last week. “Once that gets finalized, I’m going to be all ball.”
The Colts will also add two Tony Dungy Diversity Fellows — one on offense, one on defense — to the staff at a later date.
COLTS OFFENSIVE COACHING STAFF
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Jim Bob Cooter, offensive coordinator
Cooter, who spent three seasons as Matthew Stafford’s coordinator in Detroit, built a relationship with Steichen as a consultant in Philadelphia during the 2021 season, and he has extensive experience building out passing games after helping Trevor Lawrence take the next step in his role as Jacksonville’s pass game coordinator last year.
Cam Turner, quarterbacks coach
Turner, the nephew of Steichen’s primary coaching mentor, Norv Turner, has spent the past five seasons working his way up Kliff Kingsbury’s staff in Arizona, ultimately rising to quarterbacks coach and co-pass game coordinator last season.
DeAndre Smith, running backs coach
A long-time college coach with experience at 12 schools, including Indiana State (1999-2000) and Purdue (2016), Smith spent last season with the New York Giants, helping Saquon Barkley turn in his best season as a professional.
Reggie Wayne, wide receivers coach
The legendary Colt, Ring of Honor member and likely future Hall of Famer is coming back for his second season as a full-time assistant coach after helping Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell make an impression in the middle of an abysmal season for the Indianapolis passing game.
Brian Bratton, offensive quality control/wide receivers
Bratton served as the team’s offensive quality control last year, and now gets a positional designation.
Tom Manning, tight ends coach
Manning’s spent most of his 17-year career in the college ranks, but his one season in the NFL was impressive, guiding Eric Ebron’s best season in 2018 and managing a revolving door of help around Ebron that produced 21 touchdown catches.
Tony Sparano, Jr., offensive line coach
The son of long-time NFL offensive line coach Tony Sparano, the 36-year-old is getting his first chance to run an offensive line room after more than a decade in the NFL, including two years as Buffalo’s primary tight ends coach.
Chris Watt, assistant offensive line coach
Watt, a former NFL offensive lineman with the 49ers, makes the jump back to the NFL after three years at the college level, including last season under highly-regarded Notre Dame offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, the man who developed Quenton Nelson.
T.J. Ingels, assistant to the head coach
Ingels spent the last eight years as Wisconsin’s director of football operations, and he now joins the Colts staff as Steichen’s personal assistant.
COLTS DEFENSIVE COACHING STAFF
Gus Bradley, defensive coordinator
First hired by Reich a year ago, Bradley directed a Colts defense that finished 14th in the NFL in defensive DVOA, a comprehensive statistic that takes opponents into account, and he stays due to a long-standing relationship with Steichen, forged over four years together with the Chargers.
Richard Smith, linebackers/run game coordinator
Smith, one of the assistants who’s been with Bradley for the past six seasons, adds a coordinator moniker to his title after helping Zaire Franklin blossom into a star last season.
Cato June, assistant linebackers coach
The former Colt Pro Bowler made the jump from the college level to the NFL last season, working with Richards on one of the team’s better position groups.
Nate Ollie, defensive line coach
Ollie’s attack-style front produced 37 sacks from the Colts defensive linemen in 2022 as the team produced 44 overall, the second-most any Colts defense has produced in a single season in the Indianapolis era.
Matt Raich, assistant defensive line coach
Raich, a long-time NFL assistant, has been with Indianapolis for the past three seasons.
Ron Milus, defensive backs coach
Milus, a highly-respected veteran of the secondary, is another one of the assistants who’s been with Bradley the past six seasons, and his role in developing free safety Rodney Thomas II and getting good seasons out of Stephon Gilmore and Isaiah Rodgers was important.
Mike Mitchell, assistant defensive backs coach
The former Steelers and Colts safety also played a key role in the development of rookie safety Rodney Thomas II, and he’s back for another season in Indianapolis.
Brent Jackson, defensive quality control
Hired as a Tony Dungy Diversity Fellow a year ago, Jackson earned a promotion to Bradley’s full-time staff in his second season in Indianapolis.
COLTS SPECIAL TEAMS COACHING STAFF
Brian Mason, special teams coordinator
Widely respected as one of the best special teams coaches at the college level, Mason now makes the jump to the NFL level for the first time, replacing long-time coordinator Bubba Ventrone, who left for Cleveland after five years in Indianapolis.
Joe Hastings, assistant special teams coach
Hastings provides some continuity to the special teams staff after serving as Ventrone’s assistant the past two seasons.
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03-07-2023, 05:06 PM
Meet Shane Steichen's first Colts coaching staff
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