Former Eagles OC enters 2026 NFL season firmly on the hot seat

Lightning can indeed strike twice. Following the Philadelphia Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory, the Indianapolis Colts came calling. They plucked offensive coordinator Frank Reich away from Philadelphia. Reich eventually assembled a coaching staff that included a relatively unknown assistant named Nick Sirianni.

A few years later, history repeated itself. After the Eagles returned to the Super Bowl during the 2022-23 season, Indianapolis once again targeted Philadelphia’s offensive brain trust. This time, they hired offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their next head coach. At the time, the move made perfect sense. Steichen was widely viewed as one of football’s brightest offensive minds after helping oversee Jalen Hurts’ rise into MVP contention. His creativity, adaptability, and quarterback development made him one of the hottest coaching candidates on the market.

Fast forward a few seasons, however, and the outlook surrounding his future suddenly feels far less secure. If you're among the contingent that believes Steichen is coaching for his job, rest assured. You aren't alone in that regard.

The Colts are still waiting for Shane Steichen's breakthrough

Bleacher Report recently assigned Steichen an “8” on its 10-point hot-seat meter entering the 2026 NFL season, signaling growing pressure on the Colts head coach to finally deliver a postseason appearance. The reasoning is difficult to completely dismiss. Indianapolis has hovered around mediocrity throughout Steichen’s tenure, compiling a 25-26 record without reaching the playoffs. Fair or not, NFL organizations eventually stop celebrating competitiveness if it doesn’t translate into January football. To Steichen’s credit, quarterback instability and injuries have significantly complicated matters. arguably played the best football of his career under Steichen before suffering a ruptured Achilles late last season.