When Spurrier Jr. left Norman to join his father’s Redskins staff, he said it was a difficult decision professionally. He and his wife, Melissa, had 1-year old triplets at the time and wanted to spend more time around family.

“I don’t know if it's the best move for me professionally,” Spurrier Jr. said in January 2002. “I really don’t want to be in professional football. But I think it’s the best move for my family. If I can look back in life and say I’ve made decisions that were the best thing for my family, I think I’m going to be all right.”

After he left for the Redskins job, Bob Stoops said of Spurrier Jr., “I don’t think it can hurt Steve to be around his father again. That’s why I hired him, because not only do I appreciate Steve Jr. and his ability and his knowledge and what he's about, but I knew he came up from what I felt was the best receiver coach and quarterback coach in the country, and that’s his dad.”

At South Carolina, Spurrier Jr. coached future Pro Bowl receivers Sidney Rice and Alshon Jeffery.