Washington Commanders fire tight ends coach Ben Steele after DWI arrest, promote Wes Welker
The Commanders dismissed tight ends coach Ben Steele following his June 7 arrest for suspected driving while intoxicated and obstruction, and named offensive assistant Wes Welker as his replacement.
The Washington Commanders announced Monday that tight ends coach Ben Steele has been dismissed. The team said no further details would be provided, but reports indicate Steele was arrested on June 7 in Loudoun County, Virginia, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and for refusing a blood or breath test, a charge classified as obstruction without force. The arrest was reported to the NFL and Steele was placed on leave before being released for violating team policy.
Head coach Dan Quinn said on Tuesday that former NFL wide receiver and current offensive assistant Wes Welker will assume tight-ends coaching duties. Welker, who has also served as a personnel analyst, had overseen the position during minicamp while Steele was on leave.
Steele, 48, joined Washington in February after three seasons as the Arizona Cardinals' tight ends coach under Jonathan Gannon. His résumé includes assistant roles with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos, as well as a playing career that featured two seasons on the Green Bay Packers' active roster.