Former Bengals coach lands an unexpected promotion in the UFL right before the 2025 season begins

Whisenhunt, who coached the NFL's Arizona Cardinals from 2007-2012 and led them to a trip to Super Bowl XLII, was hired by Memphis last September and was set to make his official return to head-coaching status. He was last a HC with the Tennessee Titans from 2014-15. He's since been the offensive coordinator for the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers from 2016-19, offensive analyst for Penn State from 2021-22, and Nick Saban's last special assistant to the head coach at Alabama in 2023.

Turner was hired to coach Memphis' o-line coach in 2023, a year before Whisenhunt was hired. Since his time in Cincinnati concluded, he spent a year as Texas A&M's o-line coach in 2021, and then moved on to the USFL level and took the same position for the New Orleans Breakers in 2022.   

Turner has never been a head coach at any level before now. His closest title was assistant head coach for Delaware in 2006. 

Cincinnati only had Turner for two years, but they were two very regrettable years. He was Zac Taylor's first o-line coach as he personally knew Taylor as a family friend and colleague from their time shared at Texas A&M from 2008-11 when Turner was the o-line coach and Taylor a graduate assistant. 

The Bengals' offensive line was one of the worst units in the NFL when Turner oversaw the group. In 2020, Joe Burrow was hit and pressured more than the majority of starting QBs through the first 11 weeks before one last hit led to his season-ending knee injury. 

Turner was one of four firings the Bengals made after finishing 4-11-1 that season. He was a risky hire to begin with, and the risk did not pay off in the slightest. Now at age 60, he'll get his first shot at being a head coach following Whisenhunt's surprising decision. 

Memphis' first game is Sunday, March 30 against the Michigan Panthers, two teams that roster a combined three former Bengals.