Jeff Fisher out as Titans coach

Posted Thursday, January 27, 2011, at 8:31 PM

Jeff Fisher and Vince Young were not always adversaries during their time with the Titans. T-G File Photo by Jimmy Jones

The Tennessee Titans have announced that they will part ways with their long time head coach, Jeff Fisher. It is a surprising decision considering that Bud Adams had recently decided that he would trade or release Vince Young, who had quit on his teammates on several occasions during games, and has been a divisive force in the lockerroom with his antics since he joined the team.

Fisher had made it clear that he would not allow Young to be part of the team after he tossed his equipment into the stands and made gestures at the fans during a nationally televised game, then cursed the coach in front of the team after he was replaced with Kerry Collins after an injury.

It was Adams that insisted that the Titans draft Young with the third overall pick in 2006 when most of his football people were against it and the franchise has suffered for it since. Now it has cost them the longest tenured coach in the NFL, not to mention millions and millions of dollars with little or no return.

The controversy was further intensified with the loss of longtime line coach Jim Washburn and the firing of defensive coach Chuck Cecil, a long time friend of coach Fisher.

The Titans rank 7th in the NFL in wins since the 1999 season.

Now they are a franchise that has been set back at least four years and are in total disarray with the draft fast approaching.

Makes one wonder if Adams changed his mind about who his quarterback is going to be next year doesn't it?

Either way the legendary owner is placing his legacy increasingly at jeopardy with his incessant meddling into football decisions.

Fisher is not totally immune in the situation either. The Titans lost Floyd Reese, a very well respected talent evaluator in 2006 in a power struggle with the head coach after serving 13 years as the GM.

Reese is credited with bringing in some of the best players in franchise history with guys such as Neil O'Donnell, Fred Miller, Frank Wycheck, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Eddie George, Samari Rolle and Derrick Mason, Bo Scaife, Michael Roos and Dave Stewart among others, to Tennessee. The Titans went to the Super Bowl in 2000 with Reese at the helm. Now he helps the Patriots keep getting richer via the draft. Think we might miss him?

As my friend Tom McCue so astutely pointed out the other day-Tennessee has not had a lot to brag about in their drafts since Reeses' departure.

He was right.

Good luck to you coach Fisher. Thanks for the memories.

Most of all, good luck to the Titans. They are going to need it.

Comments
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I do not know the details on Reese nor for that matter, the details on the other aspects as well, but my gut tells me that any time the owner forces players down the coaches throat, the relationship is rocky at best. What quality coach will want to fill Jeff's shoes under those conditions?

My personal opinion is that we lost a GREAT coach, Vince needs more maturing and Bud needs to stay away from any public management of the players and coaches. Undermining leadership positions and moral seems to be the issue, not talent.

-- Posted by stevemills on Fri, Jan 28, 2011, at 8:17 AM

I wish Fisher would buy the team and get rid of Bud Adams!!

-- Posted by titansfan on Fri, Jan 28, 2011, at 8:40 AM

I just wonder if Adams had really let the VY thing go, because he treated VY like he was the gift to all pro football, and that was a deterrent not only to other team players but the coaching staff, as well. I hope Jeff gets a coaching job with an outstanding franchise that will allow him to coach and not have to deal with an owner that wants to always be in the limelight. Adams is all about his own fame.

-- Posted by ILoveRoses on Fri, Jan 28, 2011, at 8:48 AM

Fisher will be missed.. He is as much a part of the Tennessee Titans as the players themselves. It is hard to imagine the Titans without Jeff Fisher.

Good Luck to Jeff Fisher

-- Posted by Dianatn on Fri, Jan 28, 2011, at 11:36 AM

I'm not sure what your friend is talking about.

There are 3 Reinfeldt/Fisher draft picks in the pro-bowl this year.

Reese was good, but I think Reinfeldt is doing well.

I'll miss Fisher, but it was also time for a change. And since you can't fire the owner....

-- Posted by espoontoon on Sat, Jan 29, 2011, at 9:57 AM