Pittsburgh Steelers

Bears Hire Former Steelers WR

Posted on by newssite

PITTSBURGH — A former Pittsburgh Steelers player will have a new position with a new team, as he grows in his coaching career.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the Chicago Bears are trying to finalize a deal that would make Antwaan Randle El, the current Detroit Lions wide recievers coach, as their new assistant head coach/wide receivers coach.

The Bears hired Ben Johnson, who was previously the offensive coordinator for the Lions, as their new head coach and he clearly wants to bring his own people in.

He originally had a chance to play baseball, as the Chicago Cubs took him in the 14th round of the 1997 MLB Draft, but chose to play football instead.

Randle El starred for Indiana from 1998-2001 as their quarterback, throwing for 7,469 yards and 42 touchdowns, while rushing for 3,895 yards, 4.5 yards per carry, and 44 touchdowns, across 44 games in four seasons

He finished as Big Ten Freshman of the Season in 1998, as he threw for 1,745 yards and six touchdowns and rushing for 873 yards and 10 touchdowns.

His best season in college came as a senior in 2001, throwing for 1,664 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for 964 yards and eight touchdowns, earning Big Ten Most Valuable Player, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-American honors.

The Steelers took Randle El with the No. 62 overall pick in the Second Round of the 2002 NFL Draft.

He transitioned to wide receiver and made 47 catches for 489 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games, earning PFWA All-Rookie Team honors in 2002.

Randle El also served as a punt returner and a kickoff returner for the Steelers, with two punt return touchdowns in 2003 and two more punt return touchdowns in 2005.

He also utilized his quarterback skills in the 2005 season, completing a 31-yard touchdown to wide receiver Hines Ward in a 34-21 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 10. He connected with Ward again, but this time for a 43-yard reverse touchdown pass that helped clinch Super Bowl XL, the fifth championship in franchise history.

Randle-El would spend the next four seasons with the Washington Redskins, with 48 starts in 63 games, making 186 catches for 2,202 yards and eight touchdowns. He also served as a punt returner during his time there.

He came back to the Steelers on a three-year deal, worth $7 million. He played in 16 games in the 2010 season, making 22 catches for 253 yards and helping the Steelers make it back to the Super Bowl.

The Steelers released Randle-El after the season and would retire after not playing in the 2011 season.

He would serve as the athletic director at Virginia Academy in Ashburn, Va. following his retirement.

Randle-El eventually took over as an offensive assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two seasons in 2019 and 2020.

He reunited with Bruce Arians, former Steelers offensive coordinator the head coach of the Buccaneers, and the two worked together to win Super Bowl LV.

Randle-El spent the last four seasons, 2021-24, with the Lions as their wide receivers coach and will now work for his third NFL team.

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