The Commanders’ tight ends coach position was not vacant for long, as Dan Quinn announced Tuesday that Wes Welker will be in charge of the position group.
He replaces Ben Steele, who was dismissed on Monday amidst potential legal action stemming from an arrest on suspicion of DWI in June.
Welker joined Quinn’s staff last year as a personnel analyst, and was promoted to offensive assistant this year. He coached the tight end group in the parts of minicamp that Steele was absent for after he was put on leave following the DWI.
Quinn said Tuesday that the team was still considering Welker’s official title given his dual responsibilities, but either way, he will be the official on-field successor for David Raih, who was promoted to pass game coordinator under new offensive coordinator David Blough.
Welker led the NFL in receptions three times and was a five-time Pro Bowler in his 12-year NFL career with five teams, and he began his coaching journey as an offensive and special teams assistant with the Texans in 2017.
He served two years in that role before three seasons as the 49ers’ receivers coach – where he worked with Adam Peters, then in the San Francisco front office – and spent 2022-24 in the same position in Miami.
