Jeff Fisher - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Potential Jeff Fisher Extension

September 14th, 2016 at 7:28pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Thanks to the Rams’ season-opening debacle on Monday, head coach Jeff Fisher‘s future with the team looks less certain. Fisher and owner Stan Kroenke met after the Rams’ 28-0 loss to the 49ers, according to Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, who adds that the contract extension Fisher was supposed to receive isn’t in play at the moment (video link).

Various reports since the winter have stated that Fisher and general manager Les Snead, both of whom are in contract years, are likely to sign new deals. Fisher took over the Rams’ sideline in 2012 and is among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches at $7MM, but the former Titans boss hasn’t produced positive results with his current organization. Under Fisher, the Rams have gone 27-37-1 in four-plus years and haven’t exceeded seven wins in an individual campaign, thereby stretching their streak of non-playoff seasons to 12. The way the Rams looked Monday, the newly minted Los Angeles team is on its way to No. 13.

One major problem for the Rams in Week 1 was the performance of quarterback Case Keenum, who completed 17 of 35 passes for 130 yards and two interceptions against a San Francisco club that went 5-11 a year ago. Fisher will go forth with Keenum for the time being, but other coaches on the Rams’ staff feel first overall pick Jared Goff gives them a better chance to win, per Cole (video link).

Keenum beat out both Goff and Sean Mannion for the starting role over the summer, making Goff the first QB to go No. 1 and not start his team’s opener since the Raiders’ JaMarcus Russell in 2007. Worsening matters, Goff didn’t show enough progress during training camp and the preseason to even earn a spot on the Rams’ active roster Monday, but the ex-Cal standout could suit up as a reserve against the Seahawks in their LA opener this week.

To acquire the pick with which he chose Goff, Snead surrendered several valuable selections – including first-rounders in 2016 and 2017 and multiple second-rounders – to the Titans. If Goff doesn’t take the field this year and at least show flashes of a player who was worth that type of haul, then, it stands to reason Snead could join Fisher on the the hot seat. The Rams looked like the worst team in the league in Week 1, and that’s particularly troubling for a franchise that’s not in possession of its own first-rounder in next year’s draft.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

No Deadline On Jeff Fisher, Les Snead Extensions

September 8th, 2016 at 3:12pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ve been hearing about potential extensions for Rams coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead for some time now, but as of this writing, there’s still no deal for either of them, a source tells Mike Florio of PFT. However, the source also says that there is no deadline for the talks, so deals could theoretically be struck during the season.

The Rams haven’t had the best results on the field under Fisher and Snead. In his four years at the helm of the Rams, Fisher’s teams have compiled a 27-36-1 record and have never gone .500 or better during an individual campaign. However, after moving halfway across the country, owner Stan Kroenke reportedly wants to ensure some stability going forward.

Fisher is currently among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches at $7MM annually and it’s not clear if the Rams are willing to give him any sort of raise on that on a new deal. Prior to joining the Rams, Fisher experienced success atop the Titans organization, going 142-120 in 17 years and helping lead the club to six playoff appearances and a Super Bowl XXXIV berth to conclude the 1999-2000 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rams Expected To Extend Fisher, Snead

August 14th, 2016 at 10:23am CST by Dallas Robinson

SUNDAY, August 14: Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter links) adds a little more to this report, basically confirming that Kroenke is largely concerned with front office stability during this otherwise tumultuous time in franchise history. Cole says that there will be no “major changes” to the team’s brass until the Rams are ready to move into their new Inglewood stadium in 2019. That way, if Snead and Fisher continue to disappoint, the club can recharge its fanbase with a new stadium and a new staff.

SATURDAY, August 13: The Rams are expected to reach extensions with both general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher before the season begins, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Deals with both decision-makers can be categorized as “likely,” Schefter adds.

On the surface, news of extension talks are a bit surprising given the Rams’ lack of success under Fisher and Snead. In his four years at the helm of the Rams, Fisher’s teams have compiled a 27-36-1 record and have never gone .500 or better during an individual campaign. The Rams finished 7-9 last season during their St. Louis swan song, which was the third time they’ve won seven games under Fisher. However, after moving halfway across the country, owner Stan Kroenke apparently wants to ensure some stability going forward.

There’s no word yet on possible length or financial compensation for Fisher or Snead. Fisher is currently among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches at $7MM annually and almost certainly tops the league when it comes to dollars-per-win.

Prior to joining the Rams, Fisher experienced success atop the Titans organization, going 142-120 in 17 years and helping lead the club to six playoff appearances and a Super Bowl XXXIV berth to conclude the 1999-2000 season. Of course, Tennessee lost that game to Fisher’s present-day employer, the Rams.

Snead, meanwhile, got his start as a pro scout for the upstart Jaguars in 1995. In 1997, he took the same position with the Falcons while also serving as their director of pro/player personnel. Prior to the 2012 season, the Rams hired Snead after parting ways with Billy Devaney.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Rams, Fisher, Snead, Mason, Bosa

July 17th, 2016 at 4:36pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at the latest out of the NFL’s two West divisions:

A early June report indicated that the Rams were working on extensions for both general manager Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher, but Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News (Twitter link) suggest that little progress has been made on either front, noting that there is no “present timeline or parameters” on negotiations with either Snead nor Fisher. Both men are entering the final year of their respective contracts, and despite the club’s lack of success under the pair’s management, teams generally don’t like their GMs or head coaches to enter lame-duck seasons, so one-year extensions (at the least) wouldn’t be surprising. Fisher, for his part, is already thought to be among the highest-paid coaches in the league, as he’s reportedly earning around $7MM annually.
Fisher told reporters that last month that the Rams had to prepare as if running back Tre Mason would not be with the club after Mason was arrested in March for resisting arrest, possession of cannabis, and reckless driving, but according to Bonsignore (Twitter link), a decision has not yet been made as to whether Mason will be involved in training camp. It’s still unclear if Mason’s potential absence is related to a looming league-imposed suspension or because Los Angeles is considering waiving him. Regardless, Mason already saw his role with the club dwindle in 2015, as the presence of Todd Gurley meant that Mason’s carries dropped from 179 in 2014 to just 75 last year.
No. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa continues to haggle with the Chargers over his rookie deal, and while negotiations haven’t yet gotten unpleasant, that could change if the battle goes on much longer, writes Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Bosa and his agent are reportedly angling to remove offset language from his contract, and to improve the overall cash flow of the pact. For what it’s worth, former agent and current CBSSports.com contributor Joel Corry recently said that Bosa and his camp have a much better shot at upgrading the payout schedule than getting rid of offsets. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk argues that San Diego should cave on both issues, noting that getting Bosa into camp is far more important than possibly recouping a small amount of cash years down the road, a view we’ve espoused on PFR.
Earlier today, we learned that the Rams are planning on bringing quarterback Nick Foles to camp, but are still holding out hope that another club will express interest in trading for the signal-caller.

Rams Working On Extensions For Fisher, Snead

June 9th, 2016 at 11:03am CST by Zachary Links

Contract extension talks for Rams head coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead are expected to pick up over the next couple of months, Vincent Bonsignore of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets. The Rams have been in extension talks with both men since late February.

On the surface, news of extension talks are a bit surprising given the Rams’ lack of success under Fisher and Snead. In his four years at the helm of the Rams, Fisher’s teams have compiled a 27-36-1 record and have never gone .500 or better during an individual campaign. The Rams finished 7-9 last season during their St. Louis swan song, which was the third time they’ve won seven games under Fisher. However, after moving halfway across the country, owner Stan Kroenke apparently wants to ensure some stability going forward.

There’s no word yet on possible length or financial compensation for Fisher or Snead. Fisher is currently among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches at $7MM annually and almost certainly tops the league when it comes to dollars-per-win.

Prior to joining the Rams, Fisher experienced success atop the Titans organization, going 142-120 in 17 years and helping lead the club to six playoff appearances and a Super Bowl XXXIV berth to conclude the 1999-2000 season. Of course, the Titans lost that game, 23-16, to Fisher’s present-day employer, the Rams.

Snead, meanwhile, got his start as the pro scout for the upstart Jaguars in 1995. In 1997, he took the same position with the Falcons while also serving as their director of pro/player personnel. Prior to the 2012 season, the Rams hired Snead after parting ways with Billy Devaney.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rams Notes: T. Johnson, Ogletree, Zuerlein

March 23rd, 2016 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s been an eventful day for the Rams, who were announced as the subject of this year’s installment of HBO’s Hard Knocks series, and are also believed to be the favorites to “host” a regular-season game in China in 2018. Head coach Jeff Fisher spoke this morning at the NFC coaches’ breakfast about several topics related to his roster as well, and we’ll round up the highlights right here, courtesy of Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com:

The Rams hope to lock up cornerback Trumaine Johnson to a long-term deal in the near future, per Fisher (Twitter link). The team has until July 15 to work out a multiyear extension with Johnson, who has already signed his franchise tender.
At the other cornerback spot, Fisher anticipates Coty Sensabaugh will compete with E.J. Gaines “and/or a draft choice” for the starting job. The head coach added that the Rams were “a lot closer” to re-signing Janoris Jenkins than people think (Twitter links). Jenkins ultimately signed a five-year deal with the Giants worth $12.5MM annually.
The Rams will have to make decisions on the 2017 options for linebacker Alec Ogletree and wide receiver Tavon Austin this spring, and Fisher said it’s virtually a lock that Ogletree’s fifth-year option will be exercised. He added that the team would like to keep both players for the long term (Twitter link).
Greg Zuerlein remains a free agent, and while Fisher said there’s mutual interest in a new deal between the two sides, he also stressed that there will be real competition at the kicker spot (Twitter link).
Fisher evaded a question about his own contract situation — a report earlier this month indicated he and the Rams were discussing a new deal, but he said today that he’s “not concerned about it” (Twitter link).

Jeff Fisher, Rams Discussing Extension

March 1st, 2016 at 8:52am CST by Connor J. Byrne

TUESDAY, 8:52am: The Rams are also exploring an extension for general manager Les Snead, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

MONDAY, 6:43pm: Jeff Fisher is entering the final season of the five-year contract he signed with the Rams when he became their head coach in 2012, but it doesn’t look as if he’ll be a lame duck for long. Fisher and the Rams are currently engaged in talks to extend the contracts of him and his coaching staff, reports Nick Wagoner of ESPN (Twitter link). There’s no word yet on possible length or financial compensation for Fisher, who is currently among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches at $7MM annually.

Fisher is the latest NFC coach who is reportedly discussing an extension with his club, joining division rival Pete Carroll (Seahawks), the Saints’ Sean Payton and the Panthers’ Ron Rivera. There’s one obvious difference between Fisher and that trio, however: They’ve done plenty of winning during their respective tenures, while he hasn’t.

In his four years at the helm of the Rams, Fisher’s teams have compiled a 27-36-1 record and have never gone .500 or better during an individual campaign. The Rams finished 7-9 last season during their St. Louis swan song, which was the third time they’ve won seven games under Fisher.

Prior to joining the Rams, Fisher experienced success atop the Titans organization, going 142-120 in 17 years and helping lead the club to six playoff appearances and a Super Bowl XXXIV berth to conclude the 1999-2000 season. Of course, the Titans lost that game, 23-16, to Fisher’s present-day employer, the Rams.

In the event Fisher and the Rams do agree to an extension, it wouldn’t necessarily guarantee his job status beyond next season. If the team doesn’t show improvement in the first season of its return to Los Angeles, owner Stan Kroenke could go in another direction and eat whatever money Fisher has remaining on his deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

West Notes: Rams, Chargers, Raiders, Broncos, Chiefs

December 17th, 2015 at 5:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Rams won’t fire Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead after this season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com report (Twitter link).

Despite a 25-35-1 record in more than four seasons, Fisher and Snead won’t be discarded even as the franchise potentially relocates to Los Angeles. Fisher’s job would have been one of the key positions out there post-Black Monday, with the speculation the Rams will be moving back to the west coast.

Schefter did mention that Fisher could step away on his own accord (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk), although the 57-year-old coach who has just six playoff appearances in 21 seasons with the Oilers/Titans and Rams probably wouldn’t receive a third head-coaching opportunity if he did so.

Fisher is a Los Angeles native who played at USC before being drafted by the Bears in 1981.

Here’s some more from the Los Angeles situation and additional notes from the Western divisions.

The Rams and Chargers remain in the lead in the LA pursuit, Schefter reports, with the Raiders still in the race but lagging behind. Schefter notes the NFL shutting down the San Diego market would be hard to believe; it’s housed an NFL team since the Chargers moved from Los Angeles in 1961. Both note the NFL apparently planned ahead for a scenario in which these fanbases say goodbye to their teams prior to the end of the season, with the Rams playing their season’s final home game tonight and the Chargers doing so Sunday.
Some coaches and executives have taken issue with John Elway‘s decision to hire Gary Kubiak, knowing what it meant for Peyton Manning‘s role with the Broncos, Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reports. Elway initially proposed a $10MM paycut for Manning, who eventually took a $4MM reduction, but Mortensen notes that was a message to leave town, with Kubiak’s style ill-suited for the 39-year-old quarterback’s skill set. A defensive coach mentioned Denver’s once-prodigious offense is much easier to game-plan for now that Kubiak’s in charge compared to Adam Gase and his more-nuanced attack. “Kubiak is a good offensive mind, a well-respected guy, but it’s about as elementary as it gets,” this coach said. “He did a good job in Baltimore but he also had a veteran offensive line, maybe one of the three best in the NFL. I think he has to take a serious look that it’s 2015 going on 2016.” This coach also pointed out Manning supplanting Brock Osweiler might not make that much of a difference considering how many hits the Broncos’ offensive line, which houses two of Pro Football Focus’ worst tackles in Ryan Harris and Michael Schofield, are allowing Osweiler to take.
Justin Houston received a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews today that revealed a hyperextended knee, per Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder (via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star, on Twitter). “I don’t want anyone to be alarmed that he saw Dr. Andrews. We knew it; we’re good with it, Burkholder told Paylor (Twitter link). Houston remains without a return timetable, with reports circulating he will miss the regular season’s remainder. Andrews also told the Chiefs’ top active player the swelling in his knee has decreased.

Stedman Bailey’s Career Likely Finished

December 7th, 2015 at 6:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL lifted Stedman Bailey‘s four-game drug suspension, but according to Rams coach Jeff Fisher (via Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, on Twitter) the embattled wideout probably won’t play football again.

The Rams will place the third-year receiver on the non-football injury list, Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk reports.

Bailey sustained two gunshot wounds to the head last month and underwent more than six hours of surgery as a result. Fisher said his assessment of the fourth-year receiver’s future was related to the shooting, but the fourth-year Rams coach did not elaborate further.

The 25-year-old Bailey caught 12 passes and one touchdown this season in eight games (three starts). He caught 45 passes for a career-best 430 yards last season. Bailey made eight career starts in St. Louis.

Chosen in the third round of the 2013 draft, Bailey has one more year left on his Rams contract.

Cole’s Latest: Coughlin, Pagano, Chargers, Rams

December 7th, 2015 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we rounded up several items related to head coaches whose jobs may be in jeopardy as the season nears an end. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report has provided a few updates on that topic as well, discussing a couple of the coaches we mentioned earlier, as well as a couple others. Here’s the latest:

The Giants aren’t likely to fire head coach Tom Coughlin before the end of the season, but they certainly could consider at after the season if they miss the playoffs, says Cole (video link). However, Cole cautions that the franchise has very specific qualifications in mind for its head coach, including a proven ability to deal with the pressure and attention that comes with working in New York. If the Giants don’t have strong potential candidates in mind that fit that bill, they may think twice about letting go of Coughlin.
The Colts’ defense allowed the Steelers to put up 45 points on Sunday, just over a year after letting Pittsburgh score 51 on them. That sort of repeat performance is a bad sign and could spark major changes for the team, according to Cole (video link). Although Cole suggests that Chuck Pagano is back on the hot seat, I’d expect the club to wait and see how the season finishes before making any decisions there — a playoff berth and a postseason win or two would make it a tough call. If Indianapolis misses the playoffs, it’s much harder to imagine Pagano keeping his job.
While Chargers head coach Mike McCoy and Rams head coach Jeff Fisher are both on the hot seat in their respective cities, there’s a scenario in which one or both coaches could keep their jobs for another year or two. As Cole explains (video link), the transition period if either of those franchises moves to Los Angeles in 2016 will be a rocky one, with the new L.A. team(s) playing in a temporary stadium for a couple seasons. As such, those clubs may be more inclined to hang onto their current coaches, perhaps putting off a change in a year or two and then making a new hire as excitement for that new stadium starts to build. I’m not sure I buy that theory, for a number of reasons, and Cole himself acknowledges that it’s one possible outcome, but perhaps not the most likely one.