5 Things To Know About Mike Hiestand

Feb 28, 2022 at 02:09 PM

Here are five things to know about the Chargers new offensive assistant.

Joining his second NFL team

Hiestand joins the Chargers as the Bolts new offensive assistant after spending the last three season as the Denver Broncos assistant defensive line coach/assistant to the head coach for the 2021 season. Prior to that, Hiestand served as the Broncos assistant to the head coach and defensive quality control from 2019-2020. Hiestand along with former Broncos coach Chris Gould now join the Bolts for the 2022 season.

Played linebacker at Illinois State University

Hiestand was a linebacker for Illinois State from 2008-2010. Hiestand also contributed to special teams, scoring a 28-yard touchdown off of a blocked punt against Southern Illinois in 2010. Hiestand graduated from Illinois State in three years with a degree in history and a minor in politics and government.

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7-year collegiate coaching veteran

Hiestand started his coaching career in 2011 as a football student assistant coach for Illinois State. In 2012 Hiestand served as a graduate assistant at Miami University working with the linebackers, special teams and ran the offensive scout team. The next season Hiestand became a graduate assistant at Florida Atlantic in 2013. For the 2014 season Hiestand made the move to South Bend, Indiana to be a defensive graduate assistant from 2014-2015.

a few new coaches in LA

→ https://t.co/rjdvnooOTy pic.twitter.com/3PvWRFJGVl
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) February 22, 2022

Ave Maria University defensive coordinator

After spending time as a graduate assistant, Hiestand made the jump to defensive coordinator at Ave Maria University in Florida. Hiestand guided Ave Maria's defense to break several school records during the 2018 season including points allowed (23.5 per game) and sacks (28). Later that season the AMU Gyrenes went on to win the Sun Division Championship.

Coaching runs in the family

Mike's father Harry has coached football since the 1980s, mainly as an offensive line coach. Throughout his career he has coached for eight different colleges and the Chicago Bears from 2005-2009 and again from 2018-2019. Harry is currently the offensive line coach for Notre Dame.