Ken Whisenhunt

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Whisenhunt played college football at Georgia Tech (1980–84) where he graduated with a degree in civil engineering. As a senior, he was an honorable mention All-American and finished first-team all-ACC as a senior and second-team all-ACC as a junior. His NFL playing career included four years (1985–88) as a tight end with the Atlanta Falcons, who selected him in the twelfth round of the 1985 NFL draft. He had short stints of two seasons each with the Washington Redskins and New York Jets, retiring after the 1992 season with eight seasons total. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech in 1995, then moved to Vanderbilt University, coaching special teams, tight ends and running backs from 1995 to 1996. In 1997, he returned to the NFL as tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens, then moved to the Cleveland Browns in 1999 and the New York Jets in 2000. In 2001, he was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers to coach tight ends, becoming offensive coordinator in 2004. He called a wide receiver reverse pass in Super Bowl XL that resulted in the first TD pass thrown by a WR in Super Bowl history. As head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, he led them to a 9–7 record and NFC West Division championship in 2008, their first division title since 1975 when the team played in St. Louis. The Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs to reach Super Bowl XLIII, where they lost 27–23 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2009, the Cardinals went 10–6 and won another NFC West title, defeating the Green Bay Packers 51–45 in overtime in the Wild Card Round before losing to the New Orleans Saints 45–14 in the Divisional Round. After Warner's retirement, the Cardinals finished 5–11 in 2010, 8–8 in 2011, and started 4–0 in 2012 before losing nine straight games. Whisenhunt was fired on December 31, 2012. He then served as offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers in 2013, where the Chargers finished fifth in total offense. He was hired as head coach of the Tennessee Titans on January 13, 2014, finishing 2–14 in his first season.

In Their Own Story

The turning point of Whisenhunt's Arizona era came when he installed Kurt Warner as the starter for the 2008 season. After Leinart suffered a season-ending injury in 2007, Warner started the final 11 games, setting the stage for Whisenhunt's decision to make him the permanent option. This move fueled an offense that carried the team through the NFC playoffs. The journey peaked on January 18, 2009, when the Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, advancing to Super Bowl XLIII to face the Steelers. Despite the loss, the run validated Whisenhunt's leadership. However, the momentum faded after Warner retired. In 2010, Whisenhunt installed free agent Derek Anderson as starter and released Leinart, resulting in a 5–11 finish. The 2012 season saw a fleeting promise with a 4–0 start, their first since 1974, but the team subsequently lost nine straight games, including a humiliating 58–0 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. These struggles led to his firing alongside general manager Rod Graves.

Reader's Guide

Whisenhunt's coaching career is marked by his Super Bowl appearance with the Cardinals and his offensive coordinator success with the Steelers and Chargers. Key facts: He led the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl in franchise history in the 2008 season, losing 27–23 to the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII (no overtime). His overall head coaching record is 48–71, with a 4–31 record in his last 35 games. He was 4–2 in the playoffs. The Cardinals' first home playoff game in 60 years occurred in 2008; the last before that was in 1947 (61 years prior). The 1975 division title was in the NFC East, not the NFC West. Whisenhunt's tenure with the Titans ended with a 3–20 record.

Did You Know?

• Whisenhunt graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in civil engineering.
• He was selected in the twelfth round of the 1985 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
• As a player, he was mostly known as a blocking back.
• He called the wide receiver reverse pass in Super Bowl XL that resulted in the first TD pass thrown by a WR in Super Bowl history.
• Whisenhunt has the lowest winning percentage (.403) among all coaches who have won a conference championship.