The Detroit Lions made Drew Petzing their new offensive coordinator on Monday. They interviewed multiple candidates and felt he was the best fit for the role. That could have a positive impact on David Montgomery's future with the team.
The Cardinals are still searching for their next head coach, so there will likely be even more turnover on their staff. Given that Petzing is in the building now, Mike Payton of A to Z Sports reported that Ben Steele is a name Lions fans should keep an eye on for the tight ends coach opening.
Ben Steele Is Reportedly a Name to Watch for Lions TE Coach Opening
Steele has been in the NFL since 2014, holding multiple roles with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Minnesota Vikings, and Denver Broncos before joining the Arizona Cardinals. He served as the tight ends coach in Arizona starting in 2023 and played a massive role in the development of Trey McBride.
Trey McBride 2023 | Trey McBride 2024 | Trey McBride 2025 |
|---|---|---|
Targets: 106 | Targets: 147 | Targets: 169 |
Receptions: 81 | Receptions: 111 | Receptions: 126 |
Receiving yards: 825 | Receiving yards: 1,146 | Receiving yards: 1,239 |
Touchdowns: 3 | Touchdowns: 2 | Touchdowns: 11 |
Over the past two seasons, McBride has earned Pro Bowl honors, while also being a First-Team All-Pro in 2025. He has developed into a true difference maker for the Cardinals, and a lot of that has to do with the coaching he received under Steele.
And that is something that should be very intriguing to the Lions, as they have their own young star tight end in Sam LaPorta. Throughout the tenure of Petzing and Steele in Arizona, they enjoyed a great deal of success running the ball, in addition to receiving elite production from their tight end.
The idea of Steele joining the Lions' staff makes plenty of sense. LaPorta is an X-factor for this offense. They already have Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs as staples for this offense, but the idea of LaPorta taking another step will only open things up for those guys.
The Iowa product came into the league hot but things have calmed down.
Sam LaPorta 2023 | Sam LaPorta 2024 | Sam LaPorta 2025 |
|---|---|---|
Targets: 120 | Targets: 83 | Targets: 49 |
Receptions: 86 | Receptions: 60 | Receptions: 40 |
Receiving yards: 889 | Receiving yards: 726 | Receiving yards: 489 |
Touchdowns: 10 | Touchdowns: 7 | Touchdowns: 3 |
This past season, LaPorta dealt with a back injury that prematurely ended his 2025 campaign. The expectation, though, is that he'll be ready to roll for the 2026 season. He has the skills to be one of the best tight ends in the league, and getting Steele in the building could help achieve that. He's coming from a location where he played a role in McBride becoming one of the best at his position.
Seth Ryan is the assistant tight ends coach for the Lions, leaving room for Steele to become the lead man in that room. Petzing was a nice addition to the staff, and the idea of Steele joining him should be next on the list.