Titans' Fisher isn't fazed by swirl of rumors
Despite Tennessee's poor record recently, reports have linked the coach to the Cowboys.
By Marc Narducci
Inquirer Staff Writer
The Tennessee Titans bring a 2-7 record into tomorrow's game at Lincoln Financial Field and are headed toward a third straight losing season.
Apparently the losses haven't tarnished the reputation of coach Jeff Fisher, a former Eagles defensive coordinator. Fisher's name has been linked in the rumor mill to the Dallas Cowboys, if coach Bill Parcells decides to retire.
Published reports have suggested that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is enamored with Fisher, who despite being just 48 years old is in his 12th full season as head coach of the Titans and 13th overall after taking over for the final six games of the 1994 season. The franchise was still the Houston Oilers then.
The Titans coach is used to dealing with rumors. Last season, there were reports that St. Louis and Houston were interested in Fisher. Now it's America's Team. He is in the last year of his contract with the Titans, although there is a team option for 2007.
"It's not a distraction," he said about the coaching rumors, while talking to Eagles reporters this week. "It has come up before."
And it will come up again.
"We really enjoy Nashville and the organization, and I don't have any intention of moving on," Fisher said. "I love what I'm doing. We have made a run and had to kind of regroup and are putting things back together and I'm hoping to see this next run through."
Fisher went through a stretch where he guided the Titans to four playoff appearances in five years from 1999 through 2003. The 1999 team won the AFC championship and lost the Super Bowl, 23-16, to the St. Louis Rams as receiver Kevin Dyson was stopped 1 yard short of the end zone on the final play.
The Titans eventually paid for a bloated payroll, and the team had to be disassembled. Tennessee won a total of nine games the last two seasons and has struggled again this year, although four of the losses have been by a touchdown or less.
With a young nucleus led by quarterback Vince Young, the Titans could begin moving up next year.
While Fisher is held in high regard among NFL teams, there is a Web site called firecoachfisher.com that lists his five losing seasons and omits the seven years the team went .500 or better.
"If you let those kind of things bother you, it will affect you," he said. "You just brush it off. Only the people inside the building truly know what is going on."
In 1990, Fisher almost became the Eagles' head coach. He was defensive coordinator under Buddy Ryan. When owner Norman Braman fired Ryan, he had two candidates: Fisher and Eagles offensive coordinator Rich Kotite. Braman picked Kotite. Fisher left in 1991 to become defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.
Fisher says it is hard to say how his career would have been shaped had he been named the Eagles' coach.
"They made the decision they felt was right at the time, my contract was up so I moved on," he said.
By Marc Narducci
Inquirer Staff Writer
The Tennessee Titans bring a 2-7 record into tomorrow's game at Lincoln Financial Field and are headed toward a third straight losing season.
Apparently the losses haven't tarnished the reputation of coach Jeff Fisher, a former Eagles defensive coordinator. Fisher's name has been linked in the rumor mill to the Dallas Cowboys, if coach Bill Parcells decides to retire.
Published reports have suggested that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is enamored with Fisher, who despite being just 48 years old is in his 12th full season as head coach of the Titans and 13th overall after taking over for the final six games of the 1994 season. The franchise was still the Houston Oilers then.
The Titans coach is used to dealing with rumors. Last season, there were reports that St. Louis and Houston were interested in Fisher. Now it's America's Team. He is in the last year of his contract with the Titans, although there is a team option for 2007.
"It's not a distraction," he said about the coaching rumors, while talking to Eagles reporters this week. "It has come up before."
And it will come up again.
"We really enjoy Nashville and the organization, and I don't have any intention of moving on," Fisher said. "I love what I'm doing. We have made a run and had to kind of regroup and are putting things back together and I'm hoping to see this next run through."
Fisher went through a stretch where he guided the Titans to four playoff appearances in five years from 1999 through 2003. The 1999 team won the AFC championship and lost the Super Bowl, 23-16, to the St. Louis Rams as receiver Kevin Dyson was stopped 1 yard short of the end zone on the final play.
The Titans eventually paid for a bloated payroll, and the team had to be disassembled. Tennessee won a total of nine games the last two seasons and has struggled again this year, although four of the losses have been by a touchdown or less.
With a young nucleus led by quarterback Vince Young, the Titans could begin moving up next year.
While Fisher is held in high regard among NFL teams, there is a Web site called firecoachfisher.com that lists his five losing seasons and omits the seven years the team went .500 or better.
"If you let those kind of things bother you, it will affect you," he said. "You just brush it off. Only the people inside the building truly know what is going on."
In 1990, Fisher almost became the Eagles' head coach. He was defensive coordinator under Buddy Ryan. When owner Norman Braman fired Ryan, he had two candidates: Fisher and Eagles offensive coordinator Rich Kotite. Braman picked Kotite. Fisher left in 1991 to become defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.
Fisher says it is hard to say how his career would have been shaped had he been named the Eagles' coach.
"They made the decision they felt was right at the time, my contract was up so I moved on," he said.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:28 AM
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