RonF
Per Ardua Ad Astra
Cards choose Whisenhunt
Ex-Steelers offensive coordinator turned Roethlisberger into Super Bowl champion
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 15, 2007 12:00 AM
Did the Cardinals make the right hire?
Ken Whisenhunt has a degree in civil engineering that, as a football coach, he's never had to use. It might come in handy now, because Whisenhunt has taken on a large construction project.
Whisenhunt will become the seventh head coach to try to build a winner with the Arizona Cardinals. Whisenhunt, who spent the past three years as the Steelers offensive coordinator, agreed to a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth year.
"It became apparent to us, particularly when we got into the second phase of our interview process, that Ken began to separate himself from the other candidates," said Rod Graves, the team's vice president of football operations. "It became obvious to us that his leadership ability, the plan that he had for our football team and the organization he demonstrated was clearly the right one for this team."
Because today is Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day, Whisenhunt won't be introduced formally as head coach until a news conference Tuesday afternoon. The team announced his hiring Sunday morning.
"I'm really excited," Whisenhunt told ESPN.com Sunday. "I really think it's a great opportunity. It's a team with a lot of young talent on both sides of the ball. The more I studied the situation the better it looked, and the more I wanted that job. I can't wait to get started."
The Cardinals have had one winning season since moving to Arizona in 1988 and won one playoff game since 1947. But team officials think they are close to winning and that the team underachieved under Dennis Green, who was fired after compiling a 16-32 record in three seasons.
"Great, good to have a coach," defensive end Bertrand Berry said when he heard about the hiring. "That's about all I can say. I don't know much about him. I'm sure I'll find out in the next little bit of time."
Whisenhunt's first task will be assembling a staff, and it will be especially important to find a defensive coordinator, given Whisenhunt's offensive background. He has spoken with Cardinals defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, who remains under contract, and will meet with six other assistants the Cardinals have retained.
Whisenhunt will not be forced to hire those assistants, team officials have said.
Whisenhunt was a hot candidate for several jobs and had interviews with the Steelers, Falcons and the Dolphins. Last year, he turned down the opportunity to coach the Raiders.
After firing Green the day after the season ended, the Cardinals interviewed eight candidates in eight days and then narrowed their choices to a "short list."
"Our process was extremely thorough, and it's unlike one that many of us have ever been a part of," Graves said. "In some cases, the interviews lasted more than 12, 13 hours."
Former Packers coach Mike Sherman interviewed for a second time Thursday, followed by Whisenhunt, who had a second interview Friday and Saturday. By midday on Saturday, the Cardinals decided Whisenhunt, 44, was their man.
It didn't take long for Whisenhunt's agent, Eric Metz, and the Bidwills, owner Bill Bidwill and his son Michael, to reach a deal.
Metz, who is based in the Valley, credited the Bidwills for "their integrity and commitment to winning.
"They bent over backward to accommodate him and made him feel very wanted," Metz said. "The Cardinals were very aggressive and made a tremendous commitment."
He declined to reveal financial terms of the deal.
Whisenhunt and fellow Steelers assistant Russ Grimm were top candidates to replace Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers haven't moved quickly to hire Cowher's successor. If Whisenhunt had waited for the Steelers' decision, he might have been shut out of other opportunities.
A graduate of Georgia Tech, Whisenhunt played nine seasons in the NFL as a tight end and H-back. When he retired from playing in 1993, Whisenhunt concentrated on his golf game, getting down to a 4 handicap, but he became bored with that after a short time, according to a story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
One of his former NFL coaches, Rod Dowhower, was at Vanderbilt and hired Whisenhunt as special teams and tight ends coach.
Since then, he's been climbing the ladder of the coaching profession.
Whisenhunt has been a Steelers assistant for the past six years, including the past three as offensive coordinator. He's known as a bold play caller who also places heavy emphasis on a strong running game. His work with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger helped him get the Cardinals job.
In Arizona, he'll work with Matt Leinart, the 10th overall pick in last year's draft.
"He has done a remarkable job in Pittsburgh, and he obviously had a big hand in grooming their quarterback and shaping him up into a Super Bowl winner," Graves said.
Whisenhunt took over as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator in 2004, the same year the team drafted Roethlisberger, who went on to win offensive Rookie of the Year honors. In 2005, he became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl and finished third in the league in passer rating (98.6).
Whisenhunt has coached 10 seasons in the NFL.
Ex-Steelers offensive coordinator turned Roethlisberger into Super Bowl champion
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 15, 2007 12:00 AM
Did the Cardinals make the right hire?
Ken Whisenhunt has a degree in civil engineering that, as a football coach, he's never had to use. It might come in handy now, because Whisenhunt has taken on a large construction project.
Whisenhunt will become the seventh head coach to try to build a winner with the Arizona Cardinals. Whisenhunt, who spent the past three years as the Steelers offensive coordinator, agreed to a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth year.
"It became apparent to us, particularly when we got into the second phase of our interview process, that Ken began to separate himself from the other candidates," said Rod Graves, the team's vice president of football operations. "It became obvious to us that his leadership ability, the plan that he had for our football team and the organization he demonstrated was clearly the right one for this team."
Because today is Martin Luther King Jr./Civil Rights Day, Whisenhunt won't be introduced formally as head coach until a news conference Tuesday afternoon. The team announced his hiring Sunday morning.
"I'm really excited," Whisenhunt told ESPN.com Sunday. "I really think it's a great opportunity. It's a team with a lot of young talent on both sides of the ball. The more I studied the situation the better it looked, and the more I wanted that job. I can't wait to get started."
The Cardinals have had one winning season since moving to Arizona in 1988 and won one playoff game since 1947. But team officials think they are close to winning and that the team underachieved under Dennis Green, who was fired after compiling a 16-32 record in three seasons.
"Great, good to have a coach," defensive end Bertrand Berry said when he heard about the hiring. "That's about all I can say. I don't know much about him. I'm sure I'll find out in the next little bit of time."
Whisenhunt's first task will be assembling a staff, and it will be especially important to find a defensive coordinator, given Whisenhunt's offensive background. He has spoken with Cardinals defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, who remains under contract, and will meet with six other assistants the Cardinals have retained.
Whisenhunt will not be forced to hire those assistants, team officials have said.
Whisenhunt was a hot candidate for several jobs and had interviews with the Steelers, Falcons and the Dolphins. Last year, he turned down the opportunity to coach the Raiders.
After firing Green the day after the season ended, the Cardinals interviewed eight candidates in eight days and then narrowed their choices to a "short list."
"Our process was extremely thorough, and it's unlike one that many of us have ever been a part of," Graves said. "In some cases, the interviews lasted more than 12, 13 hours."
Former Packers coach Mike Sherman interviewed for a second time Thursday, followed by Whisenhunt, who had a second interview Friday and Saturday. By midday on Saturday, the Cardinals decided Whisenhunt, 44, was their man.
It didn't take long for Whisenhunt's agent, Eric Metz, and the Bidwills, owner Bill Bidwill and his son Michael, to reach a deal.
Metz, who is based in the Valley, credited the Bidwills for "their integrity and commitment to winning.
"They bent over backward to accommodate him and made him feel very wanted," Metz said. "The Cardinals were very aggressive and made a tremendous commitment."
He declined to reveal financial terms of the deal.
Whisenhunt and fellow Steelers assistant Russ Grimm were top candidates to replace Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers haven't moved quickly to hire Cowher's successor. If Whisenhunt had waited for the Steelers' decision, he might have been shut out of other opportunities.
A graduate of Georgia Tech, Whisenhunt played nine seasons in the NFL as a tight end and H-back. When he retired from playing in 1993, Whisenhunt concentrated on his golf game, getting down to a 4 handicap, but he became bored with that after a short time, according to a story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
One of his former NFL coaches, Rod Dowhower, was at Vanderbilt and hired Whisenhunt as special teams and tight ends coach.
Since then, he's been climbing the ladder of the coaching profession.
Whisenhunt has been a Steelers assistant for the past six years, including the past three as offensive coordinator. He's known as a bold play caller who also places heavy emphasis on a strong running game. His work with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger helped him get the Cardinals job.
In Arizona, he'll work with Matt Leinart, the 10th overall pick in last year's draft.
"He has done a remarkable job in Pittsburgh, and he obviously had a big hand in grooming their quarterback and shaping him up into a Super Bowl winner," Graves said.
Whisenhunt took over as Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator in 2004, the same year the team drafted Roethlisberger, who went on to win offensive Rookie of the Year honors. In 2005, he became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl and finished third in the league in passer rating (98.6).
Whisenhunt has coached 10 seasons in the NFL.
:notworthy
