Shane Steichen conquered winding road to become Eagles success story

Shane Steichen works his way up the coaching ladder.

Shane Steichen’s coaching journey began in 2010 as an offensive assistant on the Louisville Cardinals staff. The Cardinals earned a 7-6 record on the season and won a bowl game after finishing 4-8 and failing to receive an invitation the previous year.

Steichen, a former quarterback at the University of Las Vegas (Nevada) from 2003-2006, threw for over 2,000 yards and tossed 22 touchdowns. The following year, he earned a job in his home state of California, joining the San Diego Chargers as a defensive assistant under then-head coach Norv Turner. He was relieved of his duties when Turner was fired at the end of the 2012 season.

In 2013, Steichen earned another opportunity with the Cleveland Browns, this time as the offensive quality coach, but misfortune came again. Head coach Rob Chudzinski was fired, and again, Steichen was looking for a new home. He returned to San Diego, this time under Mke McCoy. He’d be replacing the former offensive quality control coach, a guy by the name of Nick Sirianni after Nick had been promoted to the role of quarterbacks coach.

2016 is when Steichen really began working his way up the coaching ranks. Nick Sirianni, a former collegiate wide receiver, transitioned from quarterbacks coach to wide receivers coach. Steichen would lead the QBs, and from 2015 to 2016, the Chargers’ offense climbed from the 26th-ranked scoring offense (and the 13th in passing touchdowns in 2015) to the ninth-ranked scoring team and a ranking of fourth in passing touchdowns.

It’s also worth noting that the Chargers’ rushing offense lept from a ranking of 32nd in rushing touchdowns to a ranking of 22nd a year later, but the fun was only beginning as change would come yet again.