Steinauer starred in football at Western Washington University and finished his career with 20 interceptions, 160 tackles, a forced fumble, and 89 punt returns for 965 yards 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. In 1999, he was named to Western Washington University's All-Century team and was the only player named to two first-team positions, at cornerback and punt returner.
Steinauer joined the Ottawa 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 the Hamilton 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 and Toronto 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. At the time of his retirement, Steinauer was the last active player in CFL history to play for the Ottawa Rough Riders.
Post-playing career
After being released by the Argonauts, he was approached by Rogers Sportsnet to work as a football analyst for their broadcasts. Steinauer says that, as a player, football reporters told him he'd make a good broadcaster but he never thought about it until the opportunity presented itself. In 2009, he did analysis for Sportsnet's television broadcasts and the radio Fan 590. Steinauer is also an entrepreneur and a partner in a logistics firm.
Coaching career
Toronto Argonauts
On February 19, 2010, Steinauer was hired by the Argonauts as their defensive backs coach. On August 4, 2011, Steinauer was promoted to defensive co-ordinator of the Argonauts after the firing of Chip Garber from that position. On December 8, 2011, new head coach Scott Milanovich announced that Steinauer would be retained as the team's defensive backs coach.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
On January 3, 2013, Steinauer was named the defensive coordinator for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Steinauer coached with the Ti-Cats for four seasons. By the end of the 2016 season he was considered one of the leading candidates for a head-coaching position in the CFL.
On December 14, 2016 Steinauer announced that he would be leaving the CFL and heading south to become the defensive coordinator for the Fresno State Bulldogs.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (II)
After one season with the Bulldogs, Steinauer returned to the CFL and Hamilton Tiger-Cats on February 22, 2018, as an assistant head coach to June Jones for the 2018 season. With the Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions both looking at Steinauer for their head coaching vacancies for the 2019 CFL season, the Tiger-Cats and Jones decided to name Steinauer as the 26th Head Coach of the Tiger-Cats on December 3, 2018. 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.
