Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt has stepped down as a head coach in the UFL, the team announced on Wednesday.
Whisenhunt had been in his first year as the head coach of the Memphis Showboats, but had already missed one game to start the spring season.
Offensive line coach Jim Turner replaced Whisenhunt when he missed the season opener on March 30, after taking a leave of absence for undisclosed reasons. Whisenhunt returned to coach the next two games, but is now leaving for good, with Turner set to replace him.
“The time has come for me to step away from the game and take a break from football,” Whisenhunt said in a statement. “I am so grateful for my time with the players and wish them the best.”
The Showboats have started the season 0-3, losing 18-17 to the Houston Roughnecks on Saturday.
The UFL gig was a return to pro football for the former Steelers offensive coordinator. He last worked in the NFL as the offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2016-19. Since then, Whisenhunt served as an offensive analyst at Penn State from 2021-22 and as a special assistant at Alabama in 2023.
It’s unclear if the 63-year-old intends to continue coaching or why he stepped down from his role with the Showboats.
Whisenhunt first joined the Steelers on the staff of Bill Cowher as tight ends coach in 2001. He served in that role for three years before taking over as offensive coordinator in 2004. He led the Steelers to a Super Bowl championship in his second season in that role in 2005.
When Cowher retired after the 2006 season, Whisenhunt was among the candidates to replace him. When the Steelers chose Mike Tomlin instead, Whisenhunt took the head coaching position with the Arizona Cardinals. He took Arizona to the Super Bowl in his second season, losing to the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII.
Whisenhunt had a 45-51 record with the Cardinals over six seasons, but missed the playoffs in three straight years from 2010-12 before being fired. He hen spent two seasons as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans, going 3-20 before being fired once again,.
In Memphis, Whisenhunt had replaced John DeFilippo, who went 2-8 in his first and only season at the helm of the Showboats in 2024. Fellow former Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley led the team to a 5-5 record in 2023.
Pittsburgh native Jarren Horton is the team’s defensive coordinator. Cornerback Mark Gilbert and guard Nate Gilliam are former Steelers players on the Showboats.
Memphis’ next game is on the road against the Michigan Panthers at Ford Field on Friday.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Former Steelers OC Steps Down from Head Coaching Role
