Remember the Titans: Five Things Jeff Fisher Leaving Means for Tennessee

The news broke Thursday afternoon that the Tennessee Titans had decided to part ways with the league’s longest tenured head coach, Jeff Fisher, after 17 years.

Though the team did not win a Super Bowl during his stay in Tennessee, Fisher was widely considered one of the league’s premier coaches and had created stability in a franchise that lacked it prior to his arrival.

“This isn’t personal, it is just time for change and I believe both the team and Jeff will benefit in the long-run from this move,” owner Bud Adams said in a press conference today. “I am still confident about our future.”

Despite being relieved of his position, Coach Fisher has remained a class act through the entire process. He was quoted as saying, “This is one of the top organizations and efficiently run organizations in the National Football League and they will be successful. “

But will they really be successful?  

What does the removal of Jeff Fisher as head coach really mean for the Tennessee Titans organization?

Tennessee Titans G.M. Mike Reinfeldt confirmed today that the team still plans to trade or release quarterback Vince Young this offseason.

It seemed as though either Fisher or Young would be gone but not many expected that both of them would be gone before the Titans started training camp in 2011. After all, a case can be made for both men being important reasons for the team’s success over the past few seasons.

Of course, they both can be at least partially blamed for the team’s lack of success, as well.

The disappointment with Vince Young has to go deeper than just Jeff Fisher, though, as the team is exploring options to get rid of the disgruntled quarterback after a season in which he was publicly benched following an outburst during a game.

The team has now lost four coaches this offseason and is in complete rebuilding mode when it comes to the management of the team. Who knows whether or not the new coaches will have the same opinions that the previous regime did on existing players, or even if they’ll run a similar offense and defense?

Recently the NFL has seen a push towards the 3-4 defense to get better athletes on the field, even on teams like the Broncos, Packers, and Jaguars that didn’t necessarily have the personnel on the existing roster to make a successful transition.

Either Bud Adams is completely out of his mind when it comes to which coaches would be willing to come to Tennessee or he just doesn’t care that he’s not going to get a premier one.

The team just fired the league’s longest tenured head coach, and perhaps one of the league’s most respected coaches, simply because “he” hadn’t won a playoff game since 2003. What premier head coach candidate is going to want to go to a team that has shown a lack of faith in one of the consensus top coaches in the league?

Yes, Fisher’s winning percentage during his tenure was only at about 54 percent. Yes, the team has failed to win a playoff game since 2003.

But is Jeff Fisher really to blame?

I think we really need to examine the situation in Tennessee and come to the realization that the organization itself is just not in a good position to succeed no matter who is coaching.

The Titans are regularly significantly under the salary cap, they have let nearly every developed high-talent leave in free agency without receiving trade compensation, their best player (Chris Johnson) has publicly voiced his displeasure about his contract situation, and there is absolutely no quarterback on the roster that has given anyone a reason to believe he will be successful in the long run.

But perhaps the worst problem with Tennessee has been their complete lack of talent acquisition during free agency. Not only have they left some of their most talented and best leaders leave in free agency, but it could be reasonably said that the Tennessee Titans franchise, in 17 years of existence, has never once acquired one of the league’s top free agents during the offseason.

Sure, they’ve signed some talented players that have turned out to be pretty good but wouldn’t that be a sign that Jeff Fisher and the coaching staff has some skill if they’re taking players who were average at best on other teams and turning them into quality players in Tennessee?

Doesn’t it say something about Fisher and the coaching staff that practically every player who leaves Tennessee is less successful on the team he goes to?

No premier head coach wants to go to this team—and why should they? The situation is just terrible and the front office apparently can’t see the reality of their situation.

Since we’ve established that no premier coach is going to go to Tennessee, let’s examine some of the options that Tennessee has for their vacant head coaching position.

Mike Munchak—The current Tennessee Titans offensive line coach has had his name thrown around as the next potential head coach. Munchak has been with Tennessee as an assistant coach since 1994 and while he was a loyal member of the Fisher regime, it does not necessarily disqualify him from the head coaching job in 2011 as he is a favorite of owner Bud Adams.

Dave McGinnis—McGinnis holds the title as the team’s existing assistant head coach. He has been with the Titans organization for seven years after a three year run as the head coach in Arizona.

Gregg Williams—The current New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator is in the discussion to replace Jeff Fisher. Williams was one of the team’s assistants in 1999-2000 before leaving to become the head coach in Buffalo from 2001-2003.

Jim Mora Jr.—Mora has head coaching experience in both Seattle and Atlanta and has been linked to some of the recent vacant head coaching positions throughout the league. He is currently an analyst for NFL Network but would certainly rather be roaming the sidelines on Sundays.

Marty Mornhinweg—The offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles has been largely credited with the recent development of quarterback Michael Vick. With the Titans in a terrible situation when it comes to that position, perhaps Mornhinweg is a good candidate to scout and develop the team’s next franchise quarterback.

Perry Fewell—The current New York Giants defensive coordinator has been linked to head coaching vacancies throughout the league this offseason and seems to be eager for an opportunity to prove his worth. Fewell may make for the best outside option the Titans have as he has effectively run the Giants 4-3 defense and could make good use of the team’s existing personnel.

There seems to be two polar opposites right now when it comes to the Tennessee Titans fans following the removal of Jeff Fisher.

One camp is ecstatic that Fisher is gone and they seem to blame him for the team’s ineptitude, which apparently stems back all the way from the team’s arrival in Tennessee.

The other has the opinion that this is a doom-and-gloom situation for the Titans franchise.

After truly examining the situation, I don’t see how anyone can realistically be in the first group and try to act like things are going to get better any time soon.

It’s not getting better, folks.

This team is in a terrible situation with no head coach, no great options to replace the head coaching position, no quarterback, an aging defense, and a superstar running back who has to be considered likely to leave the team when his contract expires.

While it would be nice to be looking toward the future with bright eyes and a smile, it’s hard to blame Titans fans for being realistic and understanding that they are completely screwed.