Ken Whisenhunt has done the unthinkable, turning the perennial cellar-dwelling Arizona Cardinals into a perennial winner. As a result, the team has rewarded its head coach.
The Cardinals have signed Whisenhunt to a four-year contract extension with an option for a fifth, FOXSports.com has learned. If the fifth year is picked up by the team, the total contact would be worth $30 million.
The team has also agreed to an extension with general manager Rod Graves, though detals are unknown.
The deal catapults Whisenhunt into the upper echelon of coaching salaries. Not only do the Cards lock up one of the better young head coaches in the league, but the move also goes a long way in changing the NFL-wide perception of the Cardinals from a cheap team to one that rewards for a job well done.
The former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Whisenhunt has a 27-21 record in three seasons in Arizona, including back-to-back NFC West division crowns and an appearance in Super Bowl XLIII -- a 27-23 loss to the Steelers.
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