Shanahan Offered Job at Kentucky, Newspaper Reports

Mike Shanahan, fired nine weeks ago as head coach of the Raiders, reportedly has been offered a five-year contract for $600,000 a year in salary and perks to become head coach at the University of Kentucky, according to a newspaper report.

Kentucky Athletic Director C.M. Newton denied publicly that Shanahan has been offered the job, the Denver Post reported. But, the newspaper continued, “It has been learned that a five-year offer totaling about $600,000 per year in salary and perks is Shanahan’s for the taking.”

The newspaper said an official announcement is expected this week.

Shanahan, quarterback coach for the Denver Broncos, returned to Denver late Saturday from a two-day visit to the Lexington, Ky., campus, during which he met with Newton.

Interviewed by reporters at the Lexington airport, he said: “It was a great day for me. I was very impressed. At the same time, no commitment was made by them.”

Asked how interested he is in the job, Shanahan said: “If it wasn’t something I was generally interested in, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t take off with a game tomorrow and come down here if I wasn’t generally interested in the job.”