Riders another step in Walsh’s coaching journey
BRADENTON, FLA. After spending 11 seasons in the NFL as a player, Steve Walsh’s goal is to return to the league as a coach.
With that objective in mind, the former NFL quarterback has turned to the CFL after spending six years as a high school head coach and two as the director of football at IGM Academy — the site of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ recent mini-camp.
His first step was working as a senior assistant with the Toronto Argonauts in 2017. The next step was being hired as the Roughriders’ quarterbacks coach.
“To make the transition from a high-school coach to jumping into the quarterbacks’ room in the NFL isn’t something that is likely going to happen, so this is going to be another step in my progression,” Walsh said. “I love this league and love the men who are in it.”
Walsh’s first foray in the CFL couldn’t have turned out better because he worked primarily with Toronto’s quarterbacks, including future hall-of-famer Ricky Ray. Walsh also had an opportunity to work with Argos head coach Marc Trestman.
“Last year in Toronto was an unbelievable experience with Coach Trestman,” Walsh said. “Winning the Grey Cup didn’t hurt, either.”
Walsh starred with the University of Miami Hurricanes, leading them to a national title in 1987. In his two seasons as a starter with the Hurricanes, he was 23-1.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Walsh in the NFL’s 1989 supplemental draft. He later had stops in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts before retiring.
He finished his NFL career with 7,875 passing yards, with 40 touchdowns and 50 interceptions.
“I had an opportunity because I was a starter with the Bears and the Saints,” Walsh said. “I also had opportunities to be an 11- year starter, but I ended up being a three- or four-year starter and six- or seven-year backup.”
Walsh, a 51-year-old native of St. Paul, Minn., felt the urge to return to coaching while at IMG.
“The reason it didn’t workout longer at IMG was I didn’t like what I was doing and I wanted to be a coach,” Walsh said. “As a director, you’re running a multi-milliondollar business just for football. I didn’t want to do that at that point in my life.”
Walsh replaces Jarious Jackson, who spent two seasons as the Riders’ quarterbacks coach before becoming the B.C. Lions’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
“They are both great coaches, but in different ways,” Riders quarterback Brandon Bridge said. “Coach Walsh is new to the CFL game, but he understands the quarterback position like no other.
“Jarious played in the CFL so he could show us his own points on what he was doing when he was in the game. They are both great coaches and you would be happy to be coached by any one of them.”
The 2017 season helped Walsh familiarize himself with the CFL.
“I certainly don’t know it all and I’m sure Wally Buono can still trick me,” Walsh said.
“It’s still football and the 12th guy doesn’t matter because the concepts are still the same. The coverages are probably more complex than the NFL because they can do more in the CFL. Once you understand the pieces, you can pick up the game.”