The Washington Commanders parted ways with an assistant coach in mysterious fashion, firing tight ends coach Ben Steele on the eve of training camp.
The Commanders announced the news with a cryptic post on their official X account on Monday morning.
Steele spent 5 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an offensive quality control coach and tight ends coach from 2014 to 2018.
“We are parting ways with tight ends coach Ben Steele,” the Commanders wrote. “The team will have no further comment at this time.”
The Commanders had already removed Steele’s bio from their official website by the time their post went live.
According to a search of Virginia Public Case records, Steele was arrested on June 7 for allegedly driving under the influence as well as receiving charges for resisting arrest, refusing to take a blood or breath test, and incorrectly changing course after signaling a lane change.
Heavy
Steele was hired on March 2 after spending the previous 3 seasons as the tight ends coach for the Arizona Cardinals, where he developed Trey McBride into an NFL All-Pro selection.
Under Steele’s guidance, McBride was a 2-time Pro Bowler in 2024 and 2025 and earned his 1st NFL All-Pro nod in 2025 when he set the NFL single-season receptions record for tight ends with 126 receptions for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns.
“The Commanders are ‘parting ways’ with TE coach Ben Steele, the team announced,” ESPN’s John Keim wrote on X on Monday. “They said there would be no further comment. … an unusual move two days before camp begins.”
Steele played 6 seasons in the NFL and NFL Europe from 2001 to 2006, playing for 6 different NFL teams as well as the Frankfurt Galaxy.
Fans React to Shock Firing on Eve of Training Camp
The wording of the post from the Commanders led many fans to assume the worst.
“No further comment instead of we wish he and his family the best,” Mr. Hanalei wrote on his official X account. “Dude messed up.”
“Sounds like a f’d up story is about to drop,” Flying Zeppelins wrote on its official X account.
Commanders Made Huge Free Agent Signing at TE
The Commanders were in dire straits at tight end following the 2025 season.
Veteran starter Zach Ertz suffered a catastrophic knee injury in Week 14. Second-round pick Ben Sinnott seems like a bust after 2 seasons.
Another tight end, John Bates, is basically getting paid $7 million per year to block, which makes little sense for a team without an elite running back.
The Commanders needed a playmaker, so they went out and got 1 in free agency on March 9, agreeing with Chig Okonkwo on a reported 3-year, $30 million contract.
“The Commanders are expected to sign free agent TE Chig Okonkwo, giving him a 3-year deal worth up to $30M,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account. “The Commanders land the top tight end available.”
In 4 seasons, Okonkwo has career numbers of 194 receptions for 2,017 yards and 8 touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s 5th among all NFL tight ends over the last 4 seasons with 39 missed tackles forced.
Okonkwo, 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, spent his first 4 seasons on the Titans playing for increasingly worse teams — and 3 different head coaches. Tennessee went 7-10 in 2022, 6-11 in 2023, and 3-14 in 2024 and 2025.
He was also called one of the NFL’s top trade assets before the 2025 season as the Titans went in looking at a full-on rebuild with 2025 No. 1 overall pick and quarterback Cam Ward.
As a senior at Maryland in 2021, Okonkwo had career highs of 52 receptions for 447 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Former Buccaneers Assistant Fired Following DUI Arrest