Commanders fire TE coach Ben Steele following DWI charge - ESPN

What the report says

ESPN reported that the Washington Commanders dismissed tight ends coach Ben Steele after he was charged with driving while intoxicated. The move came two days before the start of the team’s training camp and more than a month after Steele’s arrest, according to the outlet. The publicly available source material does not include further details about the arrest, the location of the incident, or any court proceedings.

Steele had been part of Washington’s offensive coaching staff, working with the tight ends group. His departure adds an immediate staffing issue for the Commanders at the start of a key preparation period, when teams install schemes, evaluate roster competition and build player routines ahead of the NFL season. ESPN’s report did not say who will take over his duties or whether the team plans to name a permanent replacement before camp practices begin.

The decision is notable because NFL coaching staffs are typically settled by the time training camp opens, and late changes can affect position-room continuity. For Washington, the timing places attention on how the club manages day-to-day instruction for its tight ends while also responding to an off-field legal matter involving a staff member.

Separately from ESPN’s reported employment action, a DWI charge is a legal matter that proceeds through the courts, and a charge does not by itself establish guilt. No additional statement from Steele, the Commanders or law enforcement was included in the supplied material.