Colts Assistant LBs Coach Cato June Nominated for NFL’s Coach Accelerator Program

Indianapolis Colts assistant linebackers coach Cato June has been selected to participate in the NFL’s Coach Accelerator program (via Colts.com’s JJ Stankevitz):

“This week, another opportunity came thanks to his hard work: The Colts nominated June to participate in the 2023 NFL Coach Accelerator program, which will be held May 21-23 at the NFL Spring League Meeting in Minneapolis,” writes Stankevitz.

“The Coach Accelerator program, which debuted in 2022, is focused on increasing exposure between diverse coaching talent and owners and executives from across the NFL. This year, 40 participants were nominated by teams, and were chosen based on possessing strong head coaching potential.”

“And June’s approach to his job, and whatever his coaching future may hold, is sure to impress some of the folks he’s able to network with in Minneapolis.”

Of course, Colts fans are well familiar with June from his prior playing days, where as a former 2003 6th round pick of the franchise, he eventually became a Super Bowl Champion, NFL 2nd-Team All-Pro, and Pro Bowler at outside linebacker in Indianapolis (2003-06).

Now 43 years old, and entering his second season as Colts assistant linebackers coach (*having been retained along with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and his defensive coaching staff), June figures to have a promising pro coaching career ahead of him:

“He’s a really good coach, I think he’s got a chance to be a great coach,” said Colts linebackers coach Richard Smith via Colts.com. “I’m happy for him to get this opportunity to learn from the experience and grow from the experience, but also for people to get to know him because he is a special person. I’m very happy that this organization wanted him to represent them. I think they couldn’t have done a better job. Very classy individual, the organization is important to him. And I think he has a bright future.”

Last offseason, he was brought in along with wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne and assistant defensive backs coach Mike Mitchell as former NFL standouts who could provide knowledge and experience from their pro playing careers—as well as added mentorship in the Colts locker room to the team’s younger players.

For June, this seems like a unique opportunity for his potential pro coaching development and exposure—and it sounds like he’s planning on making the most of it.