| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | |
 Steinauer with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2024 | |
| Date of birth | (1973-06-09)June 9, 1973 (age 51) |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Status | Active |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | President of football operations |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | 182 lb (83 kg) |
| US college | Western Washington |
| High school | Lynnwood |
| Career history | |
| As administrator | |
| 2022–Present | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (PoFO) |
| As coach | |
| 2010–2011 | Toronto Argonauts (DBC) |
| 2011 | Toronto Argonauts (DC) |
| 2012 | Toronto Argonauts (DBC) |
| 2013–2016 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (DC) |
| 2017 | Fresno State (DC) |
| 2018 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (AC) |
| 2019–2023 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (HC) |
| As player | |
| 1996 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1997–2000 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| 2001–2008 | Toronto Argonauts |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 1998,2002,2003,2004,2007 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1998,2002,2003,2004,2006,2007 |
| Honors |
|
| Records |
|
| Career stats | |
Orlondo Steinauer (born June 9, 1973) is the president of football operations for theHamilton Tiger-Cats of theCanadian Football League (CFL). As a player, he played professionalCanadian football as asafety for 13 seasons with theOttawa Rough Riders,Hamilton Tiger-Cats andToronto Argonauts from 1996 to 2008. He finished his careersecond all-time in CFL history for interception return yards with 1178 yards. Steinauer was a two-timeGrey Cup champion as a player after winning in1999 with the Tiger-Cats and in2004 with the Argonauts. He has also won a championship as a coach, winning the100th Grey Cup as thedefensive backs coach for the Toronto Argonauts in 2012.
AtLynnwood High School in Lynnwood, Washington, Steinauerlettered in football, basketball, and baseball. He graduated in 1991.
Steinauer starred in football atWestern Washington University and finished his career with 20 interceptions, 160 tackles, a forced fumble, and 89 punt returns for 965 yards (10.84 yards per punt ret. avg.) and a touchdown. In 1995, his final year, he was a consensus first-team All-American and the CFA Defensive Player of the Year leading the United States in pass interceptions with 10 and ranked ninth nationally with an 11.6 yards punt return average.[1]
In 1999, he was named to Western Washington University's All-Century team and was the only player named to two first-team positions, atcornerback andpunt returner.[2]
Steinauer joined theOttawa Rough Riders of the CFL in 1996, but saw minimal playing time prior to the team's dissolution at the end of that season. In 1997, with theHamilton Tiger-Cats, he emerged as a defensive star, earning a spot on the East Division All-Star team. He was also a punt returner. Steinauer's performance in Hamilton (1997–1999) and Toronto (2001–2008) was well regarded; he was named a divisional All-Star six times and CFL All-Star five times.
Toronto released him on August 25, 2008, prior to the ninth game of the season. As a CFL player with more than six years experience, playing more than eight games would have guaranteed his salary for the remainder of the year.[3][4][5][6]
He was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame as a player in 2021.[7]
After being released by the Argonauts, he was approached byRogers Sportsnet to work as a football analyst for their broadcasts. Steinauer says football reporters told him that as a player he would make a good broadcaster, but that he never thought about it until the opportunity presented itself.[6] In 2009, he did analysis for Sportsnet's television broadcasts and the radioFan 590.[6]
On February 19, 2010, Steinauer was hired by the Argonauts as their defensive backs coach. On August 4, 2011, Steinauer was promoted todefensive co-ordinator of the Argonauts after the firing of Chip Garber from that position.[8] On December 8, 2011, new head coachScott Milanovich announced that Steinauer would be retained as the team's defensive backs coach.[9]
On January 3, 2013, Steinauer was named thedefensive coordinator for theHamilton Tiger-Cats.[10] Steinauer coached with the Ti-Cats for four seasons. By the end of the2016 season he was considered one of the leading candidates for a head-coaching position in the CFL.[11]
On December 14, 2016 Steinauer announced that he would be leaving the CFL and heading south to become the defensive coordinator for theFresno State Bulldogs.[12]
After one season with the Bulldogs, Steinauer returned to the CFL andHamilton Tiger-Cats on February 22, 2018, as an assistant head coach toJune Jones for the2018 season.[13] With theToronto Argonauts andBC Lions both looking at Steinauer for their head coaching vacancies for the2019 CFL season, the Tiger-Cats and Jones decided to name Steinauer as the 26th Head Coach of the Tiger-Cats on December 3, 2018.[14][15] He tied the CFL record for wins by a rookie head coach as the Tiger-Cats finished with a 15 win and 3 loss record.[16]
Due to the cancellation of the2020 CFL season, Steinauer did not coach in 2020. In hissecond season, the Tiger-Cats began the season with an 0–2 record, but finished 8–4 in a pandemic-shortened season to finish second in the East. The Tiger-Cats defeated theMontreal Alouettes andToronto Argonauts in the playoffs as Steinauer led the team to their second consecutiveGrey Cup appearance. However, he suffered his second championship loss as a head coach as the Tiger-Cats lost the108th Grey Cup game to theWinnipeg Blue Bombers. Following the season, Steinauer was named president of football operations, in addition to his duties as head coach, on December 24, 2021.[17]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| HAM | 2019 | 15 | 3 | 0 | .833 | 1st in East Division | 1 | 1 | Lost107th Grey Cup | |
| HAM | 2020 | Season Cancelled | ||||||||
| HAM | 2021 | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 2nd in East Division | 2 | 1 | Lost108th Grey Cup | |
| HAM | 2022 | 8 | 10 | 0 | .444 | 3rd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in East Semi-Final | |
| HAM | 2023 | 8 | 10 | 0 | .444 | 3rd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in East Semi-Final | |
| Total | 39 | 29 | 0 | .574 | 1 Division Championship | 3 | 4 | 0 Grey Cups | ||