Jeff Fisher

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
31 259-231-2 52.85% 10-11 47.62%

Coaching Tree

Parents:

Mike Ditka, Jack Pardee, John Robinson, Buddy Ryan, George Seifert

Children:

Mike Munchak, Jim Schwartz, Gregg Williams

Biography

Table of Contents

Career Summary

Jeff Fisher was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1985 to 2016, finishing his career as the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. Over his thirty-one years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 259-234-2. During his career he was a head coach for twenty-one seasons, first with the Houston Oilers. He led the Oilers for sixteen seasons, compiling a record of 141-115-0. He was fired from the Oilers on Thursday, January 27, 2011. At the time of Fisher's firing, he was the longest-tenured head coach in the league. His next head coaching stint was with the St. Louis Rams from 2012 to 2016, as he led the team to a 31-48-1 record. He was fired from the Rams on Monday, December 12, 2016. During his entire head coaching career, his two teams combined for a record of 172-163-1 across twenty-one seasons including going 5-6-0 in the playoffs.

Career Awards

As the head coach of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans he coached five players to award-winning seasons: Eddie George, AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1996; Jevon Kearse, AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1999; Steve McNair, Most Valuable Player in 2003; Vince Young, AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2006; Chris Johnson, AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2009. As the head coach of the St. Louis Rams he coached two players to award-winning seasons: Aaron Donald, AP Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2014; Todd Gurley, AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2015.

Jeff Fisher Coaching Tree

Before he was a head coach, Fisher served as an assistant coach for Mike Ditka, Buddy Ryan, John Robinson, George Seifert, and Jack Pardee. Five of these years were spent on Ryan's coaching staff. During his time as head coach, three assistant coaches, (Mike Munchak, Gregg Williams, and Jim Schwartz) on his coaching staff were hired as head coaches across the league. His coaching tree has combined for a record of 68-108-0 in the regular season and 0-1 in the playoffs during their eleven seasons as head coach after serving on his coaching staffs.

Personal Information

Fisher was born on Tuesday, February 25, 1958 in Culver City, California.

Table of Contents

Playing Career

University of Southern California

Jeff Fisher began his football career as a player, for the USC Trojans in 1977 under Head Coach John Robinson. His first three seasons with the team they would see postseason victories: Bluebonnet Bowl his freshman year and back to back Rose Bowls his sophomore and junior years.

Chicago Bears

In 1981 he was drafted as a defensive back to the Chicago Bears for his first taste of life in the NFL in the seventh round. In five seasons he would play in 49 games in total. In 1985 he suffered career-ending injury to his ankle. He won his first Super Bowl ring in 1985, his last season playing with the team due to his injury.

Coaching Career

Chicago Bears

While sitting on the injured reserve in 1985 he was able to assist the team in a way outside of playing, coaching. While working with the Bears he met Defensive Coordinator Buddy Ryan, whom would later bring him on elsewhere. During his last season in pads he works as a defensive assistant on the coaching staff.

Philadelphia Eagles

Fisher was hired for his first full time coaching job for the Philadelphia Eagles as their new defensive backs coach in 1986, under new Head Coach Buddy Ryan. In 1989 he was promoted to both the NFL’s youngest defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, where he would hold the dual title through the next season. Under his tutelage the Eagles would lead the NFL in quarterback sacks at 62 and interceptions at 30. In 1990 the Eagles paced the league in rushing defense. He was let go from the team due to staff changes at the conclusion of the season.

Los Angeles Rams

He was hired onto the Los Angeles Rams staff in 1991 as their new defensive coordinator. Here he was reunited with his old coach from USC, John Robinson, now head coach of the Rams. He would only stay with the team for a single season before moving on, back to California.

San Francisco 49ers

From 1992 through the 1993 season he was hired to be the defensive backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers. His first season there the 49ers would see the playoffs and eventually lose to the Dallas Cowboys in the conference championship. With hope for the second season the team made it back to the conference championship game against the Cowboys, only to lose again, 21-38. After his second season he was hired on for a better position and left the team.

Houston/Tennessee

Houston Oilers

Fisher hired on to be the defensive coordinator for the Houston Oilers. He became the interim head coach for the final six games of the season after the previous head coach Jack Pardee was fired. He was named official head coach in 1995, and took the previous season’s record of 2-14 and turning it to a 7-9 for his first official season as head coach.

Tennessee Oilers

When 1996 rolled around Fisher was instrumental in the transition from Houston to Tennessee. Both seasons as the Tennessee Oilers team went an even 8-8. The team would only hold this name for these two seasons.

Tennessee Titans

The team would get the name we know it as today in 1999, where the Oilers would be no more and the Titans would take their place. He would be named the 1999 Sports Person of the Year by the Nashville Sports Council and in 2000 would be named Tennessean of the Year by Nashville’s Tennessean thanks to his accomplishments with the new team. Their very first season under the new name would see a Super Bowl appearance; however the team would lose that game to the Rams.

The Titans would come to hold the longest winning streak in the history of the Central Division with 13 consecutive wins against AFC Central Division opponents. During Fisher's time with the team, they won division titles in 2000, 2002, 2008 and would make two AFC Championships appearances in 1999 and 2002. Under his tutelage the team would have the most successful decade in franchise history with 91 wins in the 2000’s.

Out of the sixteen years with the team (in all of its names), he was Executive Vice President in 11 of them. After the 2010 season ended he walked away from the team in a mutual parting of ways, where he settled out for $8 million. He walked away from the team holding the title as the longest tenured head coach in the NFL.

St. Louis Rams

Fisher was hired on by the Rams in 2012 as their new head coach. He followed the Rams from St. Louis to Los Angeles in 2016. However, his entire tenure was mired in failure. During his five seasons, he never posted a winning season, coming the closest in 2012 with a 7-8-1 record. Fisher was fired after the 2016 season.

History

Year Position Record Playoff record
2016 Los Angeles Rams Head Coach 4-9-0 0-0
2015 St. Louis Rams Head Coach 7-9-0 0-0
2014 St. Louis Rams Head Coach 6-10-0 0-0
2013 St. Louis Rams Head Coach 7-9-0 0-0
2012 St. Louis Rams Head Coach 7-8-1 0-0
2010 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 6-10-0 0-0
2009 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 8-8-0 0-0
2008 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 13-3-0 0-1
2007 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 10-6-0 0-1
2006 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 8-8-0 0-0
2005 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 4-12-0 0-0
2004 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 5-11-0 0-0
2003 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 12-4-0 1-1
2002 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 11-5-0 1-1
2001 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 7-9-0 0-0
2000 Tennessee Titans Head Coach / Executive Vice President 13-3-0 0-1
1999 Tennessee Titans Head Coach 13-3-0 3-1
1998 Tennessee Oilers Head Coach 8-8-0 0-0
1997 Tennessee Oilers Head Coach 8-8-0 0-0
1996 Houston Oilers Head Coach 8-8-0 0-0
1995 Houston Oilers Head Coach 7-9-0 0-0
1994 Houston Oilers Defensive Coordinator 1-9-0 0-0
1994 Houston Oilers Interim Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator 1-5-0 0-0
1993 San Francisco 49ers Defensive Backs Coach 10-6-0 1-1
1992 San Francisco 49ers Defensive Backs Coach 14-2-0 1-1
1991 Los Angeles Rams Defensive Backs Coach 3-13-0 0-0
1990 Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers Coach 10-6-0 0-1
1989 Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers Coach 11-5-0 0-1
1988 Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Backs Coach 10-6-0 0-1
1987 Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Backs Coach 7-8-0 0-0
1986 Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Backs Coach 5-10-1 0-0
1985 Chicago Bears Defensive Assistant Coach 15-1-0 3-0

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts

  • Years as head coach: 21
  • Named the interim head coach during the 1994 season for the Houston Oilers
  • Years as a coordinator: 3
  • Championships won: 1985
  • Conference Championships won: 1985 and 1999
  • First in total wins for the Tennessee Titans.
  • Fourth in winning percentage for the Tennessee Titans.
  • Most playoff wins in Tennessee Titans history (5)
  • Past teams coached for: Los Angeles Rams/St. Louis Rams, Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears
  • College Attended: USC Trojans
  • Positions Played: Defensive Back and Returner
  • Family Members: Brandon Fisher, Son
  • Date of Birth: Tuesday, February 25, 1958 (66 years old), Culver City, California
  • Jeff Fisher had his playing career ended on a punt return. He broke his leg on a hit that was delivered by future Steelers coach Bill Cowher.