A.J. Steward joined the Rice staff as an offensive graduate assistant in 2012.
Steward was a four-year letterman at Kansas, capping his career with by playing in all 12 games (five starts) as a senior tight end in 2011. Originally recruited as a quarterback, Steward found his first playing time as a wide receiver before switching to tight end. He was a member of the 2008 Orange Bowl Championship team, earning the Otto Schnellbacher Scout Team Player of the Year as a quarterback, as well as the 2008 Insight Bowl champions.
He was a four-time member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and graduated in 2012 from University of Kansas with a BSE in Health and Physical Education.
