Steichen on Saturday explained what he believes first-round tight end Tyler Warren can do in the Colts' offense in 2025.
Maybe Travis Hunter wasn't the only two-way player picked in the 2025 NFL Draft.
"I mean, (expletive)," Shane Steichen said on Saturday while talking about Tyler Warren, "we might play him on defense."
Steichen, of course, wasn't serious about this specific thing. The real meat of this quote is what came before the Colts head coach blurred the line between reality and hyperbole: "He's a guy that can do it all," he said.
The Colts haven't had a tight end that can consistently do it all since Jack Doyle retired following the 2021 season. They've had tight ends who have been adept at specific things, but having a tight end whose presence on the field isn't an indication of if a run or a pass is coming can open up so much for an offense.
Tight ends sometimes are labeled as a "pass-catching tight end" or a "run blocking tight end." Warren, though, isn't the sort of player who Steichen views in one of those two boxes. Again: He can do it all.
"He's an in-line (player), he can block, you can split him out wide, you can throw middle screens just get the ball in his hands however you can," Steichen said.
Warren's ability to mentally handle all those responsibilities – Penn State did all it could to get the ball in his hands – stood out to Steichen and the Colts, too.
"No doubt you can put a lot on his plate," Steichen said.
Steichen – while not directly comparing Warren to a Hall of Famer – said when he was with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, they had a rule: If Antonio Gates had a one-on-one matchup, throw him the ball no matter what. The 6-foot-5, 256 pound Warren, while nowhere near Gates' level yet, has a little bit of that to him.
"You got a target that big with that size, he plays above the rim," Steichen said. "Sometimes when guys are on him, he's still open."
And if Warren gets open – actually open – Steichen sees his John Riggins-esque running style as absolutely translating to the increased speed and physicality of the NFL.
"The thing that's crazy, talking about Riggins, him growing up watching him — and that's how he freakin' plays when he's got the ball in his hands," Steichen said. "This guy's physical running after the catch.
"He'll lay the wood on you. He'll hurt you. It's going to bring a lot to our football team for sure."
But beyond his production, his football IQ, his size and his violent physicality, Warren proved during his four years at Penn State to be a top-shelf teammate. This is a guy who doesn't do it all for his own personal glory. He does it all – catch, run, block, and if you actually asked him to, probably play defense – for his team.
And Steichen couldn't be more thrilled that Warren's team is now the Colts.
"The biggest thing when I watched his tape, the toughness that he plays with is undeniable," Steichen said. "It's off the charts. He's a selfless player — he'd do anything to help this football team."
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