Steve Heiden enters his second season as the Lions' tight ends coach and his 12th season as an NFL coach in 2024.
In his first season with the team in 2023, Heiden guided TE Sam LaPorta to a historic rookie season. Under Heiden's tutelage, LaPorta set the NFL record for the most receptions by a rookie tight end (86). Among all-time rookie tight ends in NFL history, LaPorta also ranked first in five-catch games (10), tied-for-second in receiving touchdowns (10) and fourth in receiving yards (889).
LaPorta's production in 2023 also rewrote the team's record books, with LaPorta setting the single-season franchise record for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns among all-time Lions tight ends. Among all-time Lions rookies, regardless of position, LaPorta produced the most touchdown receptions and the second-most receptions and receiving yards.
LaPorta became the first Lions tight end to ever lead all NFL tight ends in receiving touchdowns in a single season in 2023. He also ranked fourth in receptions and fifth in receiving yards among all NFL tight ends en route to Pro Bowl and Second-Team AP All-Pro honors to cap off his rookie year. He joined Hall of Fame TE Charlie Sanders (1968) as the only rookie tight ends in franchise history to be selected to a Pro Bowl.
Prior to joining the Lions in 2023, Heiden spent a decade coaching in various roles with the Arizona Cardinals offense from 2013-22, leaving the team as one of the longest-tenured assistant coaches in Cardinals history.
He served as the assistant offensive line coach (2018) and assistant special teams/assistant tight ends coach (2013-17) before being promoted to oversee the tight ends in his final four seasons.
In 2021, Heiden helped TE Zach Ertz excel in the Arizona offense after being traded halfway through the season. Despite only playing 11 games with the Cardinals, Ertz caught 56 passes for 574 yards and three touchdowns. He tied the single-season franchise record for receptions by a tight end and became the first tight end for Arizona to record over 500 receiving yards since 2003.
Heiden directed the tight ends in an offense that finished top 10 in total offense, rushing yards per game, rushing touchdowns and offensive touchdowns in 2020. The Cardinals also scored 410 points in 2020, the fifth-most in team history. Heiden tutored TE Dan Arnold as he caught 31 passes for 438 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the first Arizona tight end to have 400 receiving yards and four touchdowns in a season since 1988.
While assisting the tight end group in 2017, Heiden helped TE Ricky Seals-Jones become just the third rookie tight end in franchise history to register at least three touchdown receptions in a season.
As an assistant for both the special teams and tight ends corps, Heiden was a part of the staff that produced multiple top 10 offenses. In 2015, the Cardinals had the top ranked offense in the NFL for the first time in team history and established single-season records for points (489), touchdowns (59), touchdown passes (35), total net yards (6,533), first downs (373) and first downs passing (237).
Heiden originally entered the coaching ranks as tight ends coach at Concordia University in 2012. He transitioned to coaching after playing 11 seasons in the NFL from 1999-2009. Heiden was selected in the third round (69th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft out of South Dakota State by the San Diego Chargers.
He went on to spend three years (1999-2001) with the Chargers before being traded to the Cleveland Browns, where he spent eight seasons from 2002-09. Over his NFL career, Heiden played 148 games (83 starts) and totaled 201 receptions for 1,689 yards and 14 touchdowns. He holds the Browns' franchise records for most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in a single game after he caught three against Cincinnati in Week 12 of the 2004 season.
A native of Rushford, Minn., Heiden played collegiately at South Dakota State. He earned First-Team All-North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors as a senior in 1998, and became one of only 29 players in school history to be selected in the NFL Draft.
Alongside his wife, Jessica, Heiden has two daughters, Madison and Presley, and a son, Walker.
