Tennessee Titans offered Ken Whisenhunt $1M more annually than Detroit Lions

All weekend long, when analysts weren’t talking about the four playoff games that were on, they were talking about how Ken Whisenhunt would be the next head coach of the Detroit Lions whenever the San Diego Chargers lost. After the Chargers lost, reports surfaced that Whisenhunt would accept the Lions job within 48 hours, and while he did indeed accept a job within 48 hours, it was in Tennessee and not Detroit.

We are now learning why Whisenhunt likely chose the Titans over the Lions and it has less to do with his Tennessee ties and more to do with wheelbarrows full of money. According to ESPN, the Titans offered Whisenhunt $1 million more annually than what the Lions were offering.

"But in choosing the Titans over the Detroit Lions and becoming Tennessee’s new head coach, Whisenhunt got $1 million more in annual salary than what Detroit offered, according to a source familiar with the offers."

Had the figure been $1 million more in total, this wouldn’t be that big of a deal. But $1 million more annually means the Titans are giving Whisenhunt $1 million per year just to get above the millions that the Lions were throwing at him.

In theory, if the Titans were to give Whisenhunt a 5-year deal, they’re paying him at lest $5 million right off the bat, plus whatever the actual offer is. It’s clear that the Titans really wanted Whisenhunt and hopefully they end up on the right side of the phrase, you get what you pay for.