With Grey Cup Over, Will Steinauer Become UW Defensive Coordinator?

Kalen DeBoer has hired a Husky offensive coordinator, but he hasn't named someone to head up his stop unit.

Orlondo Steinauer nervously paced the sideline at the 108th Grey Cup as his Hamilton Tiger-Cats let a 12-point lead slip away on Sunday night and lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 33-25 in overtime.

Clearly, the Tiger-Cats head coach and former CFL standout safety had a lot on his mind. 

Once the game ended, he sat on his haunches for several minutes looking a little stunned after his team did everything but win.

So what's next for him?

Some people think newly hired University of Washington coach Kalen DeBoer is waiting on Steinauer to clear his CFL obligations so he can name him as the next Husky defensive coordinator.

Steinauer and DeBoer have a history. They coached together as the defensive and offensive coordinators, respectively, at Fresno State in 2019 for Jeff Tedford's staff that produced a 10-4 team. 

Orlondo Steinauer in pregame at the Grey Cup :: John E. Sokolowski/USA TODAY Sports

Steinauer, 48, is a Seattle native who played his football at Lynnwood High School and Western Washington University before spending 13 CFL seasons as a highly-decorated defensive back and another dozen in the league as a coach. 

Besides the Fresno and Seattle connections for him, Steinauer would stand to triple his salary, from $350,000 to roughly $1 million per year, if he made the move to the UW to run the defense.

He's been the Tiger-Cats' head coach for three years now, coaching Hamilton into the Grey Cup twice, where it lost both times to Winnipeg, and having the pandemic wipe out the 2020 season. 

Tiger-Cats fans dress for the occasion at the 108th Grey Cup :: Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports

On Sunday in a cold Hamilton, Ontario, Steinauer's team built a 22-10 lead with 11:42 left to play, only to fall behind 25-22 but rally to force OT. However, Winnipeg scored on its first possession in the extra period and then intercepted the Tiger-Cats to end things.

Unfortunately for Steinauer, a Husky connection helped enable Winnipeg to make its comeback. Punter Joel Whitford, a rookie from the UW and an Australian native, shanked a couple of punts into the wind, including one late in the game that led to enviable field position for the Blue Bombers.

DeBoer has been on the job for two weeks, but he hasn't named a defensive coordinator, leading people to think Steinauer is a strong candidate. If the CFL leader takes the UW job, an announcement should come shortly.

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