Colts' Shane Steichen Addresses Tyler Warren vs Brock Bowers

The Indianapolis Colts are set to face the Las Vegas Raiders tomorrow at 1 pm EST at Lucas Oil Stadium for their third home game of 2025. After falling to the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis will have an 'easier' opponent, but the Raiders still have excellent talent.

Arguably the best player on the roster that isn't named Maxx Crosby is second-year tight end Brock Bowers. Last year, as a rookie, Bowers set the NFL ablaze. He caught 112 passes for 1,194 receiving yards and five scores.

His elite rookie campaign earned him First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. While his sophomore season hasn't seen the same phenomenal production yet, he must still be at the forefront of Lou Anarumo's gameplan defensively.

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (black and white uniform) runs away from defenders after a big catch. — Sep 7, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) makes a catch against the New England Patriots during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

When discussing Bowers with the media, even head coach Shane Steichen understands what's ahead when facing the incredibly talented tight end.

Steichen was initially asked about what he thinks Bowers means to the Raiders. Here's what the third-year head coach had to say.

“A lot. I think he can do a lot of different things – obviously, coming out of Georgia. He's explosive as a runner with the ball in his hands. Create the explosive plays. He can run the whole route tree. Just a dynamic player that creates a lot of open space for that offense. So, just a lot of respect for him as a player.”

Bowers is a beast of an offensive weapon, becoming the all-time leader in receiving yards last year for a rookie tight end. Before Bowers took the crown, Hall of Famer Mike Ditka held the mantle with 1,076 in 1961.

The Colts will have their hands full defensively with Bowers, as he gets lined up all over for the Raiders' offense. So far this year, Bowers has lined up in line (68 snaps), as a wide receiver (16 snaps), and in the slot (44 snaps).

Brock Bowers hit a max speed of 20.27 MPH on this 38-yard run (the fastest play of his career), per @NextGenStats 😮‍💨

Watch live local games on #NFLPlus
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— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) September 7, 2025

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Next, Steichen was asked a few questions about Bowers and how he compares to the current Colts tight end, Tyler Warren. The first question concerned whether Bowers was similar to Warren. Steichen had a brief statement.

“Yes and no. I mean yeah, they're both dynamic players for sure. He can fly. I think he can really run – (Brock) Bowers can go.”

Followed was if he believed Bowers was going to fall to Indianapolis in the 2024 NFL draft. Steichen concluded with this quote.

“Yeah, and then the Raiders took him. But we got Tyler (Warren), so we're happy.”

Colts tight end Tyler Warren (white and blue uniform) runs away from defenders in pursuit. — Sep 28, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) is chased down by Los Angeles Rams safety Kam Curl (3) in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Warren has been a fantastic addition for the Colts, hauling in 19 catches through four games for 263 receiving yards and a score on the ground. Warren's blocking prowess and versatility have allowed Steichen to use him in various ways to attack defenses.

Warren was immediately compared to Bowers upon being drafted, given his insane 2024 season with Penn State. That year, Warren put up a performance worthy of a Mackey Award nomination, hauling in 104 catches for 1,233 receiving yards and 12 all-purpose scores.

Tale of the Tape for the TEs:
Tyler Warren
*Targets: 27
*Rec.: 19
*Yds: 263
*Tds: 0

Brock Bowers
*Targets: 27
*Rec. 19
Yds: 225
*Tds: 0
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) October 3, 2025

While Warren still has 13 games remaining in his debut NFL year, he's already off to the races to potentially win the Rookie of the Year award, which Bowers finished second in voting for last year.

If Bowers gets over his knee injury and suits up, it will be excellent to watch Warren and the Raiders playmaker battle it out to see which tight end gets the upper hand on the opposing defense.

So far, it's been smooth sailing for both talents in their young NFL careers, and all signs point to that continuing on Sunday when Indianapolis tries to get back into the win column.

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