Ken Whisenhunt announced today that he is stepping down as head coach of the Memphis Showboats. UFL President & CEO Russ Brandon and UFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Daryl Johnston have named Offensive Line Coach Jim Turner, who served as the team’s interim head coach earlier this season, as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 UFL season.
Statement from Ken Whisenhunt
“The time has come for me to step away from the game and take a break from football. I am so grateful for my time with the players and wish them the best.”
Statement from UFL President & CEO Russ Brandon and
UFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Daryl Johnston
“We are grateful for Ken’s contributions to the UFL as head coach of the Memphis Showboats. His passion for the game resonates not only with his players, but the entire league. Ken has been a true professional and our league is better because of the time he spent with the UFL. We are fortunate to have Jim Turner available to immediately take up the head coaching duties for the rest of this season. ”
Whisenhunt became head coach of the Showboats in September of 2024. Prior to that he served for nearly 30 years as a football coach at various levels in the NFL and NCAA, including a stint as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals (2007-12), where he won two NFC West Division Championships (2008, 2009) and a berth in Super Bowl XLII following the 2008 season. The head coach of the Tennessee Titans for two seasons (2014-15), he helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to victory in Super Bowl XL as their offensive coordinator.
Turner, who has coached for nearly 30 years at the professional and collegiate levels, has served as the offensive line coach for the Showboats for the past two seasons. He previously was the offensive line coach for the New Orleans Breakers of the USFL from 2022-23 after stints with the Cincinnati Bengals (2019-20) and the Miami Dolphins (2012-13) of the NFL. A four-year letterman at Boston College and an officer in the United States Marine Corp for four years (1990-94), Turner coached the offensive line at Texas A&M from 2008-11 and from 2016-17, as well as coaching stops at Boston College (2007), Delaware (2005-06), Delaware (2005-06), Temple (2003-04), Harvard (2000-02), Louisiana Tech (1999), and Northeastern (1994-99).
The Showboats will play the Michigan Panthers on Friday, April 18, at 8 p.m. ET as part of FOX UFL Friday.
2 Comments
by 4th&long
Its either a physical medical condition or mental health condition. At this point he owes it to the league, Showboats and their fans to be candid. Even if its to say ‘medical professional recommended’ with no further explanation. Otherwise it looks like he’s jerking the league around.
Oh and thanks for not going for a much easier 1pt tie vs Houston on PAT, horrible decision making there.
by Ken Granito
I have to be honest 4th & Long. I can understand what you are saying with the herky jerky nature of his comings and goings, but I am going to respect his privacy. Everyone deserves that and either way something is not clicking whether it’s health or an issue with the UFL.
That stated he has attributed actually 0 wins, meaning the input that you provide when going over ratings has provided more positive to the league and its than anything we have seen as outsiders from Ken Whisenhunt. Overall, it really just seems like it was something that was not meant to be.