Jeff Fisher

According to Michael Lombardi of NFL.com, Jeff Fisher is in the process of choosing between the Miami Dolphins and the St. Louis Rams and is expected to make a decision today. He is leaning towards the Dolphins.

In Miami's case, is he the best fit?

The two positions stopping the Dolphins from becoming an elite team are quarterback and coach. The quarterback void will be found through the draft or free agency but for the coaching position, it has become a negative trend. Throughout the franchise's history, the Dolphins have been through nine coaches, which obviously involves a lot of inconsistency. I think the team needs an older and experienced coach that can create the identity for this team.

With that, if you're the Miami Dolphins you want this guy. Fisher is a proven coach who has established a 142-120 coaching record, consisting six playoff appearances with the Houston Oilers and the Tennessee Titans.

Fisher's coaching tactics include a run-heavy offense, which could give Reggie Bush more touches. After his first 1,000-yard season, the run-heavy offense could become a yearly tradition. The passing game with receivers like Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, Brian Hartline and Charles Clay will develop just like it did this past season.

The Dolphins have also interviewed Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, but dealing with the loss of his son Michael, it could take a while for him to make a decision. They were looking at Chicago Bears special teams coach Dave Toub, and they interviewed Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey, who recently agreed to become the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach.

Signs are pointing towards Jeff Fisher, and why not? It could eventually be a perfect match for both sides. Look for them to give him a fat contract he can't refuse.

Jeff Fisher is set to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, according to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Burke.

Michael Lombardi of NFL.com is also reporting that the decision could be made as early as today and his sources tell him that Fisher is comfortable with the structure Miami has in place over the St. Louis Rams, the other team he interviewed with.

Fisher is best known as the coach of the Tennessee Titans from 1994 (back when they were the Houston Oilers) up until 2010.

He compiled a 142-120 record during his time there and went 5-6 in the postseason, winning the AFC championship in 1999 before falling to the St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl.

Miami has needed a head coach since firing Tony Sparano in mid-December after a 4-9 start to the season. Todd Bowles was named interim coach for the remaining three games. 

Will this move work out for the Fish?

It’s hard to tell right now, but a more youthful coach that would bring excitement and energy to the upcoming team would have been a better choice.

Unfortunately for the Dolphins, the lack of available talent out there made this near impossible.

Since the owners were unwilling to roll the dice with someone younger, Fisher gives them a chance to find long-term stability at the head coach position, something they have lacked since the Don Shula era.

An ideal choice for this job would have been Jon Gruden, but the Monday Night Football analyst decided to take his name out of the coaching carousel this season and remain with ESPN.  

If Fisher does decide to accept this job, he has a solid, young foundation to work with and a decent position in the 2012 NFL Draft.

The franchise can build around Reggie Bush, Cameron Wake, Brandon Marshall, Daniel Thomas, Vontae Davis, Jake Long and Mike Pouncey for years to come and eventually will find a franchise quarterback to lead this team back to greatness.

It’s a good situation to be in and one the former Titans coach would be foolish to pass up on. 

Jeff Fisher continues to make headlines as the most likely candidate for every available coaching position in the NFL. There has been analysis as to why he is so great, and there has been analysis as to why he isn't so great. Ultimately, he will find a new home as the new head coach of an NFL franchise, and until then we will speculate about where that will be. 

Today, the Oakland Raiders made a somewhat surprising move and fired coach Hue Jackson. Jackson had one season as Raiders head coach, and most analysts would say he did a reasonable job. The Raiders finished 8-8 on the season, and were in the division race until the last game of the year. They significantly fell off toward the end of the season, losing four out of their last five game, but they had reason to be optimistic heading into the offseason. 

Jackson took responsibility for the team missing the playoffs, and his end-of-season speech was relatively inspiring. After losing the final game of the season, he said this in his post game press conference:

Via ESPN.com:

I'm going take a stronger hand in this whole team, this whole organization. There's no way that I'm going to feel like I feel today a year from now. I promise you that. There's no question. Defensively, offensively and special teams. I'm not feeling like this no more. This is a joke.

Regardless of how this offseason would have played out for the Raiders, it is irrelevant now that they are in the search for a new head coach. 

Cue Jeff Fisher.

Of course we are going to talk about Fisher and yet another coaching vacancy. The difference between this job, though, and the jobs in Miami and St. Louis, is the fact that I feel this is the best opportunity for Fisher to succeed. 

First, looking at the Miami head coaching gig, I just don't get the feeling they are what Fisher is looking for. They don't have a "young" up and coming franchise QB. They don't have an extremely high draft pick, and frankly they have been looking too hard at coaches and front office moves to make them win as opposed to planning and molding the on-field talent.

The Rams position is a more likely scenario for Fisher. This past Sunday, Fisher met with their franchise quarterback Sam Bradford, and he interviewed for the job a few days before that.

Does anyone else find it a bit "weird" that Fisher hasn't made a commitment yet? Typically a coach accepts a position within a few days of the interview. Fisher seemingly told the Rams, "I'll let you know," and everyone else can just speculate on where/when he will let them know.

There have been indications a possible Rams move to L.A. is somewhat of a hold-up in the deal, and it should be. We all remember Fisher's last coaching gig where he moved a franchise from Houston to Nashville. Fisher doesn't speak of the move too fondly, and not having a home field for two seasons certainly left a bad taste in his mouth. Looking at his next position, I can respect the idea of not wanting to go through that again.  

Then there are the Raiders. Certainly a stories franchise, marred in recent years by the sometimes crazy behavior of their owner Al Davis. 

The 2011 campaign saw Davis pass away, and the franchise now has the opportunity to correct the wrongs that the late Davis brought upon the franchise. 

Since 2002 the Raiders have had sic head coaches. The most of any NFL team by far. The team has been struggling to find consistency since the '90s despite having some years where they were AFC favorites. 

Is there any other coach on the market who screams consistency better than Fisher? As a franchise looking to find someone who can stick around for a while, Fisher is possibly the only candidate with a proven track record in that department. 

Fisher spent 16 seasons with the Tennessee Titans and they were competitive most seasons. 

Add in Fisher has the USC/ Southern California connection and you have the Raiders' first selling point. 

The Raiders have a heck of a running attack with Michael Bush and Darren McFadden, and they do have a capable quarterback in Carson Palmer, which having a good QB was one of Jeff Fishers "bug-a-boos."

The Raiders ranked 11th in passing yards (247 YPG) and seventh in rushing yards (131 YPG), certainly promising numbers.

The Raiders struggled defensively ranking at the bottom of the NFL in defense. This is another reason Fisher would be a great fit. He is a defensive minded coach who likes tough defenses. His penchant for building tough defense would fit right in with Oakland's fanbase and the black hole would welcome toughness.

New Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie is going to have to make a big decision in the upcoming week. With Davis passing away, it is imperative that Oakland reverses its recent history with coaching departures and media fights amongst departed employees. 

Stability is oftentimes the name of the game in the NFL, and as Oakland looks to find their new face of the franchise, they need to look for someone who is comfortable taking accountability for the franchise and standing out front answering the tough questions. 

Fisher is such a candidate, and I feel as though Oakland is a much better option for Fisher than St. Louis or Miami. Fisher is expected to make a decision on his coaching future this week, and all indications have been that the Rams are the front runner. Time will tell if this Oakland vacancy changed anything, right now it is still looking like St. Louis has the upper hand.

According to Ron Clements' twitter below, the NFL Network is posted up at Rams Park in Earth City, Missouri for a potential announcement regarding their head coaching vacancy and the possible announcement of Jeff Fisher as the next St. Louis Rams head coach.  

From the report reads this very brief tweet:

@Ron_ClementsRon Clements#NFL Network set up at #RamsPark. #Coachwatch2012 #STLyfrog.com/od8npkej

There have been conflicting reports out today in regard to the Rams head coaching opening.  

Jay Glazer of FOX Sports maintains his stance from yesterday in believing Fisher will land in St. Louis, and would "be shocked" if he did not, tweeting the following:

@JayGlazerJay Glazer And I still would be shocked. I know there's some hang ups but it's still best fit for Fisher1 hour ago via TweetCaster for iOS

However, on the other hand, Adam Schefter of ESPN believes that Miami now holds the slight edge as reported here.  

Finally, friend-of-Fisher Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports reports that Fisher is still considering both the Miami and St. Louis jobs and that negotiations have yet to begin (at the time of the report anyway) with either team.

In the end, the outcome is still up in the air. 

Check back for further updates as warranted.  

Shane Gray covers the St. Louis Rams year round. To check out the rest of his work, go here.  You are also encouraged to follow him here on Twitter.

The Miami Dolphins head coaching position has been open for a few weeks now and the big time name that owner Stephen Ross really wants is Jeff Fisher.

Will Fisher put fans in the seats? Yes.

Is he that big name coach that the media will talk about? Yes.

Does he have a great track record? Depends on how you look at it.

To me, Fisher is too much like Tony Sparano in the sense of how they like to run their offenses. The old, archaic run-first mentality.

Yes, Fisher is definitely better than Sparano and has excellent experience, but he only has six winning seasons in sixteen years as head coach (not including when he was interim head coach). In those 16 years, the offense was top ten in yards only three times. 

The Dolphins are in desperate need of an offensive minded coach and Fisher just isn't that.

Fisher seems to be using the Dolphins to get more money and power from the St. Louis Rams anyway. Ross wants to throw money at him to make Miami more attractive, but if Fisher doesn't really want to be in Miami and have his heart in it, I say move on. This is reminding me of the Jimmy Johnson hiring and that was a disaster.

It is rumored that wherever Fisher goes, Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will follow. At first glance, this looks like an enticing offer. However when you look at what the Dolphins have built on the defense thus far with Mike Nolan at the helm, you wonder if that is  a good idea. Nolan has done a great job with this defense since he has been hired.

While Nolan has helped develop a great linebacking core and a very deep defensive line,  the secondary does need some work.

If Williams comes with Fisher, all indications are that the defense will change from a 3-4 to a 4-3 and that will greatly change the makeup of this defense. Why blow everything up now when the Dolphins are a free safety away from being a top-tier defense?

At this juncture, I would rather have the Miami Dolphins take a gamble and get some new blood at the head coach position. That gamble would entail hiring Joe Philbin, Offensive Coordinator for the Green Bay Packers and signing Matt Flynn in free agency.

The Dolphins are drafting at eight or nine (depending on a coin flip with the Panthers), so getting either Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III is completely out of the question unless the Dolphins trade up.

I think Flynn's six touchdown performance against the Lions showed a lot about him. Yes, the Packers are loaded on offense, but to throw for six touchdowns in an NFL game (a franchise record no less) is something you just don't look over. I know for sure Chad Henne or Matt Moore wouldn't have done that.

Joe Philbin has been the offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers since 2007 and, since his arrival, the Packers offense have been ranked in the top ten every season.

If he brings Matt Flynn with him, the Dolphins can focus on other players in the draft. Perhaps Morris Claiborne from LSU or Dre Kirkpatrick from Alabama to sure up the Dolphins secondary. Or the Dolphins can also take another route and draft Jonathan Martin OT from Stanford.

Like Fisher, Philbin also has Super Bowl experience, except he has done it recently and knows what it takes to win in today's NFL. That is my main gripe with Fisher, he represents that old style of football that Bill Parcells tried to force and we all know how that turned out.

Fisher is the safe pick, but not the pick that will lead the Dolphins to a Super Bowl. He will keep the Dolphins in the hunt for the playoffs year in and year out, but haven't we been here before? Good enough to just make it, but not good enough to make a run. The Dolphins need the coach that will make them great and take them out of 1999. That takes a gamble and that gamble is Joe Philbin and Matt Flynn.

Jeff Fisher and the potential of him becoming the next head coach in St. Louis is the focus of most St. Louis Rams fans right now as reports indicate that could come to fruition by Tuesday or Wednesday.

If and when he is ultimately announced as the eighth head coach since the move to St. Louis, the next step is assembling a coaching staff.  

It has been reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Fisher wanted assurance from the Rams that he would have the available budget to seek a strong, veteran coaching staff.  That was not always the case in Tennessee under Bud Adams, an owner who was known in some circles as "cheap."

Late last week, Jason La Canfora of NFL Network reported that some within the Rams coaching search/consultant group feel that it would make sense to consider Mike Martz for a position here, most likely, as offensive coordinator.  

Since that report, Martz has been a hot topic on multiple Rams message boards.  The debates over the pros and cons of the "Mad Scientist" are always intense.  He is somewhat of a polarizing figure in St. Louis and is either loved or hated by the masses.  Few are neutral towards Martz.

Former players like Kurt Warner have spoken highly of him.  It is also obvious, though, that his system tends to put his quarterbacks in the line of fire more frequently than would ideally be preferred.

Although Martz is given ample credit for the development of the undrafted all-time great Kurt Warner, the former sixth-round pick and two-time Pro Bowler Marc Bulger, a couple of enhanced years with Jon Kitna where the journeyman threw for 4,000 plus yards twice, and, to a lesser extent, some of the better play yet seen from Jay Cutler, his offense, at the same time, got each of these quarterbacks beaten, bruised and injured.

So, I suggest a "best of both worlds" approach:

Hire Martz as quarterback coach.  

This move will keep him away from play-calling to help protect the long-term health of Sam Bradford while aiding the development of potential franchise quarterback Sam Bradford, who the Rams hope turns into a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Aaron Rodgers type signal caller.

In this role, Martz could work one-on-one with Bradford and nurture his development just as he aided the maturation and growth of Warner, Bulger and Kitna.  

As quarterback coach, the "Mad Scientist" could focus solely on Bradford's mechanics, his delivery, ensuring that he is progressing through his reads and guiding his overall development.  At the same time, Fisher's offensive coordinator could focus entirely on running an efficient, productive offense. 

In 2010, the first overall pick out of Oklahoma flourished while going on to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

Perhaps not coincidentally, he was tutored constantly through the week and on game day by then quarterback coach Dick Curl.  Unfortunately for Bradford and St. Louis, Curl decided to retire in January, 2011.

I am not suggesting that losing Curl and the Rams failing to replacing him as being the only reason for Bradford's diminished play, but I am asserting that having a quarterback coach to interact with during the game and throughout the season was helpful for the young Bradford, and would be again. 

In my mind, if Martz truly does "make sense" to some in the Rams coaching search/consulting group, this would be the ideal (and safest) role for the Rams and Sam Bradford.

One might ask, why would Martz consider coming back as a quarterback coach after more prestigious roles as head coach and offensive coordinator?

For one, he had tremendous success here and in affinity for St. Louis.

Two, after leaving Chicago and a sometimes rocky ride there, Martz may not be in demand as an offensive coordinator going forward.

Thus, it is conceivable that the option, if presented, might appeal to Martz, who could take advantage of the opportunity and help restore his reputation.

If the Rams were so inclined, they could sweeten the pot by naming him as assistant head coach to boot, throwing Martz a more prestigious title and at least the look of a more prominent role under the Gateway Arch.  

Although Martz to St. Louis in any capacity is probably unlikely, if he were to return to the city where he once lit up NFL defenses in a dizzying and historic fashion, this would be the ideal manner in which to return.   

Shane Gray covers the St. Louis Rams year round. To check out the rest of his work, go here.  You are also encouraged to follow him here on Twitter.

Jeff Fisher's one-year hiatus from the NFL is coming to an end, and what better place for a re-entry than the Gateway City?

According to Mike Freeman of CBS Sports, the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans is "95 percent certain" to accept a standing offer to lead the St. Louis Rams.

Why not 100 percent, you ask? Check the pockets of Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. You'll probably find them to be pretty deep. Until Fisher signs on the dotted line in St. Louis, there remains a chance, however slim, that Ross will swoop in at the 11th hour with a Godfather offer.

You know, the sort of offer he couldn't quite muster up in time to bring Jim Harbaugh to South Beach when the coaching carousel went spinning off its axis last season.

Fisher also remains a bit trepidatious about the possibility of Rams owner Stan Kroenke moving the team to Los Angeles. Kroenke is known to be a close acquaintance of Philip Anschutz, the Denver-based entertainment magnate and the head of the very same Anschutz Entertainment Group that's spearheading the effort to coax an NFL team to play in downtown LA.

Why, exactly, Fisher would be averse to such a shift is unknown, though it would seem to be a perfect fit nonetheless. Fisher is a native Angeleno who played football at Taft High School before moving on to USC and later a four-year stint with the Chicago Bears. He also spent a season as the defensive coordinator for the Rams during their earlier days in Los Angeles.

And it's not like Fisher hasn't been through a franchise move before. He was the head coach of the Houston Oilers when they skipped town in 1997 to become the Tennessee Titans.

Wherever the Rams play, they'll be glad to have an experienced, defensive-minded coach with Fisher's pedigree at the helm. He sports a career record of 142-120 from 17 seasons at the helm of the Oilers/Titans franchise, during which his teams made six playoff appearances and finished with non-losing records 11 times.

Of course, St. Louis' last head coach, Steve Spagnuolo, came from a defensive background, though that did little to prevent the Rams from, well, not preventing their opponents from moving the ball and scoring at will this season.

If the Rams are going to bounce back from their disappointing 2-14 season and get back to playing with the promise they showed in 2010, they'll need to make sure things are secure on the personnel side with a capable replacement for former GM Billy Devaney. Whoever winds up in the front office will inherit a team in desperate need of reinforcements along the offensive line, out wide and in the defensive backfield.

No easy task, to be sure, but having a coach of Fisher's experience should make the transition a relatively smooth one.

As for Fisher, he certainly can't mind taking over a team that's already set at quarterback and running back with Sam Bradford and Steven Jackson, respectively. He would have neither if he were to end up in Miami, unless anyone actually thinks Matt Moore and Reggie Bush constitute long-term solutions for the 'Fins.

In any case, we'll have to wait for the proverbial fat lady to belt out her tune before we pencil in the NFL's Lorax lookalike to be the next man roaming the sidelines at the Edward Jones Dome.

Follow @J0shMart1n 

According to Armondo Saluguero of the Miami Herald as reported here, Jeff Fisher flew to Denver on Soutwest Airlines after leaving Rams Park in Earth City, Missouri after touring the facility and meeting with Sam Bradford.  

It is quite possible that Fisher was traveling to the Mile High City to meet again with St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke. The two met there to interview last week. Fisher reportedly came away from that meeting impressed.

A report from cbssports.com earlier today suggested that Fisher is 95 percent certain that he will take over as head coach of the St. Louis Rams. If so, he would be the eighth head coach in St. Louis since the franchise moved to the Gateway City in 1995.

Of course, it is possible that he is heading there for a winter ski trip, or perhaps to congratulate Tim Tebow on the Denver Broncos playoff win.  Or, quite simply, to connect to another flight on his way home.  

However, all dots connect to a second meeting with Kroenke in Denver.  

It is of the opinion of Jay Glazer that Fisher will likely be named the Rams next head coach within 48 hours. 

Shane Gray covers the St. Louis Rams year round. To check out the rest of his work, go here.  You are also encouraged to follow him here on Twitter.   

A long time ago, in an NFL franchise far, far away, Jeff Fisher was the head coach of the Houston Oilers. Bud Adams, the Oilers owner, was unhappy with his stadium, and was threatening to move the team. When his demands weren't met, he struck a deal to move the Oilers to Nashville, Tenn.

Fisher was the coach of the Oilers as they transitioned to being the Tennessee Titans, and it was a miserable experience.

The Oilers had a promising young team that went 8-8 in 1996. However, they went 6-2 on the road and only 2-6 at home, because the crowds were so thin. Support all but vanished, and who can blame the Houston fans?

Things got so bad that the Oilers were released from their stadium lease early, and to make matters worse, the stadium in Nashville wasn't ready yet. So the Tennessee Oilers arrived picked up and moved to Memphis, where they played their games in the Liberty Bowl.

That's right, the Tennessee Oilers were based in Nashville, but played their games in Memphis. That is over 200 miles on a bus, one way, to play your "home games" every week.

It was a miserable experience for the players and the coaches.

Fisher remembers all of this. He wants no part of going through it again, and it is being reported that the possibility that the Rams might move to Los Angeles is the only thing stopping him from taking the Rams' coaching job.

Should Rams fans be concerned about any of this?

The Rams lease agreement in St. Louis runs through 2025. However, in 2015 there is an opt out if the Edward Jones Dome is not a "top tier" stadium. Are Missouri tax payers willing to foot the bill on a publicly funded project that might cost $500 million dollars, or more?

Probably not in this economy.

So are the Rams going to stay in St. Louis? If Jeff Fisher is taking this long to make up his mind, maybe he knows something the rest of us Rams fans don't.

It seems as if the great city of Los Angeles may be a stumbling block in the way of former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher becoming the next head coach of the St. Louis Rams.

The details of the problem are very sketchy, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk cites a tweet from Rams' beat writer Jim Thomas that says a potential move to L.A. may be hindering the talk between Fisher and the Rams organization:

The Rams are one of the franchises that have been potentially targeted to eventually move to Los Angeles, but as Florio states in his report, it's not clear what the actual hangup is for Fischer.

Either way, it looks like this might be something that can, at the very least, slow down the process of him becoming the Rams coach.

If I can be honest for a moment, I don't see how this is a big deal for Fisher.

It's understandable that stability has to be a concern when taking any job, and going from St. Louis to Los Angeles is quite an adjustment, but then again, you're signing on the line to be an NFL head coach.

Everybody wants to be a professional athlete at some point and there are actually many people that dream of coaching at the professional level.

I could literally line up thousands of people who would do anything for the opportunity to coach the Rams, even if you were to move them to Bangladesh the very next season.

All I'm saying is: Have a little bit of perspective, Fisher—you're living the dream.

I get that when all is said and done, the NFL is a business and a potential future move is more than just getting a new stadium.

It's a new house, selling your old place, moving, acclimating to the differences and of course all the pressure of being a professional sports team in Los Angeles.

In the end, this shouldn't scare Fisher away from coaching the Rams.

He's got a good quarterback in Sam Bradford and the opportunity to turn a franchise around.

If it's in St. Louis, that's probably preferable for many people, but if it happens to be in L.A., I wouldn't complain.

At the very least, he can work on his tan.