Beginning his coaching career in 1995, he was head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2007 to 2012 and Tennessee Titans from 2014 to 2015. He led the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history during the 2008 season, as well as their first home playoff games in 60 years. However, following the retirement of Kurt Warner, Whisenhunt posted three straight non-winning seasons and was fired by the Cardinals. He was fired by the Titans after compiling a record of 3–20 through 1+1⁄2 years. Overall, Whisenhunt posted a record of 48–71 as head coach, including a 4–31 record in his last 35 games as a head coach. Whisenhunt was 4–2 in the playoffs, but missed them in five of his seven seasons as coach.
After attending the Academy of Richmond County in Augusta, Georgia for high school, Whisenhunt played college football at Georgia Tech (1980–84)[1] where he graduated with a degree in civil engineering. During his senior season, he was an honorable mention All-American. He finished first-team all-ACC during his final two college seasons.
His career as a player included four years (1985–88) as a tight end with the Atlanta Falcons, who drafted him in the twelfth round of the 1985 NFL Draft.[3] He had short stints of two seasons each with the Washington Redskins and New York Jets. He retired from the league in 1993 after nine seasons in which he was mostly known as a blocking back. From 1986–1988 with Atlanta, he accumulated 53 catches for 503 yards with five touchdowns.[4]
In 2001, Whisenhunt was hired by the Steelers to coach their tight ends. He was able to develop players such as Mark Bruener and Jay Riemersma, both considered past their prime, into excellent tight ends. He also oversaw the early development of tight end Heath Miller, who has been a successful tight end in the league.
Whisenhunt took over the role of offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh for the 2004 season after Mike Mularkey became the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Although his predecessor Mularkey was known for creating flashy trick plays, Whisenhunt showed great success as more of a cautious innovator, whose well-timed trick plays contrasted the conservative Steelers run game.
One of Whisenhunt's most famous moments as a Steeler is the trick play he called in Super Bowl XL. With Pittsburgh leading 14–10 over the Seattle Seahawks, Whisenhunt called a wide receiver reverse pass (Antwaan Randle El to Hines Ward, the first TD pass thrown by a WR in Super Bowl history) that allowed Pittsburgh to extend the lead over the Seahawks.
Arizona Cardinals
On January 14, 2007, the Arizona Cardinals hired Whisenhunt as their new head coach, with a contract to receive an average of $2.5 million annually.[5] Whisenhunt had also interviewed for the head coaching position with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins. He was previously interviewed to be the head coach of the Oakland Raiders in February 2006, but he pulled out of talks before an offer could be made.[6]
The Cardinals showed improvement in Whisenhunt's first season, finishing 8–8 after finishing 5–11 the previous two seasons and losing 10 or more games in seven of the previous eight campaigns.[7] It was their first non-losing season since 1998, though they still failed to make the playoffs.
Going into his second season in 2008, Whisenhunt made the decision to go with veteran quarterbackKurt Warner as his starter. In previous seasons, Warner had split time with the team's younger quarterbackMatt Leinart, although Warner started the final 11 games of the 2007 season after Leinart suffered a season-ending injury. This decision paid off as Warner put up great numbers in leading the Cardinals to a 9–7 regular season record in the 2008 season and the NFC West Division championship,[8] the Cardinals' first division title since 1975, when the team played in St. Louis, and the club's first playoff berth since 1998. It also allowed the Cardinals to play in only their second home playoff game in franchise history, and their first since winning the NFL championship in 1947, while the team was still in Chicago (they never played a home playoff game in St. Louis despite winning two division titles there). After defeating the Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers in the first two rounds of the NFC playoffs,[9][10] the Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game on January 18, 2009,[11] and advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history to face his former employer, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whisenhunt's Cardinals lost to the Steelers 27–23 Super Bowl XLIII.[12]
The following season in 2009, Whisenhunt led the Cardinals to a 10–6 record and another NFC West title.[13] In the playoffs, the Cardinals defeated the Green Bay Packers 51–45 in a thrilling overtime victory before losing to the eventual Super Bowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints 45–14 in the next round.[14][15]
Following the retirement of Warner and a number of other losses at other positions, the Cardinals were not expected to fare well during the 2010 season. Leinart had been expected to regain his starting quarterback job. Instead, Whisenhunt installed free agent pickup Derek Anderson as the starter, made rookie Max Hall the backup, and released Leinart. The Cardinals finished 5–11 and last in the division.[16] In 2011, despite ongoing quarterback issues, Whisenhunt and the team management put together a solid young roster that finished with an 8–8 record.[17]
In 2012,[18] Whisenhunt guided the Cardinals to their first 4–0 start since 1974,[19] when the franchise was coached by Don Coryell in St. Louis. The Cardinals proceeded to lose 9 straight games and in week 14 were blown out by the Seattle Seahawks 58–0.[20] The losing streak finally ended the following week with a 38–10 victory over the Detroit Lions.[21]
On December 31, 2012, Whisenhunt was fired after three straight non-playoff seasons. Rod Graves, general manager at the time, was also relieved of his duties.[22]
On January 13, 2014, the Tennessee Titans hired Whisenhunt as their new head coach.[23] Whisenhunt had also interviewed for the head coaching position with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns.[24] In Whisenhunt's first year, the Titans regressed heavily from their 2013 mark of 7–9. Tennessee finished the 2014 season with a 2–14 record, tying the Buccaneers for the worst record in the NFL.
On November 3, 2015, after starting the season 1–6, the Titans fired Whisenhunt and named Mike Mularkey the interim head coach. Whisenhunt finished with a 3–20 record during his tenure with the team.[25]
Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers (second stint)
On January 13, 2016, the Chargers re-hired Whisenhunt as their offensive coordinator.[26]
On December 4, 2018, it was rumored that Whisenhunt would take the head coaching job at Georgia Tech, where he and AD Todd Stansbury played football at Tech together. However, he ultimately turned down the offer, and would remain at the Chargers.
On October 28, 2019, a day after the Chargers defeated the Chicago Bears, Whisenhunt was fired. At the time, the Chargers were 17th in total yards and 24th in points scored, including failing to score more than 20 points in October.[27]
Penn State Nittany Lions
Whisenhunt joined Penn State in 2021 as an offensive analyst.[28]
Alabama Crimson Tide
On February 16, 2023, it was reported the Whisenhunt had been hired by Alabama to serve as the special assistant to head coach Nick Saban.[29]
Whisenhunt is an avid golfer.[32] A native of Augusta, Georgia, he worked the 18th-hole manual scoreboard as a teenager at the Masters golf tournament, the PGA’s first major of the year. He's played the course on a number of occasions, including May 2008 when he shot an even par 72 that included an eagle on the par-4 11th hole. Whisenhunt contemplated a career in professional golf and after retiring as a player in 1993, he spent a year away from football and played golf extensively, including competing in the ’94 U.S. Mid-Amateur at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. Whishenhunt's best career score is a 65 and he has made two holes in one during his lifetime. He also unofficially has a third, but it went for a three on his scorecard after his original tee shot went in the water for a penalty.[33]
