Jeff Fisher "ended nearly two weeks of drama in St. Louis and Miami by deciding to cast his lot with the Rams as their next head coach," according to Jim Thomas of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Fisher said Friday, "The process has been lengthy, but for good reasons. I took a lot of time looking at and exploring in detail the noneconomic issues of both clubs." He added his decision was "not about my salary. It's about the opportunity to win games." As if "proving that point, Fisher chose the Rams before contract details were finalized." Fisher "actually informed Rams owner Stan Kroenke sometime Thursday that he wanted to be the next head coach." Sources said that Fisher "knew Kroenke would provide the resources necessary to eventually compete for playoff berths and championships." It is "expected that Fisher's salary will average about $7 million a year, which would make him among the highest-paid coaches in the NFL." It's also expected that Fisher "will have final say on personnel matters, be it the draft, free agency or the setting of the 53-man roster entering the regular season." He had the "dual title of executive vice president-head coach during most of his tenure in Tennessee and will have a similar title in St. Louis." Additionally, with "no general manager in place, Fisher can have a huge say in who fills that position" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/14).
ONE GIANT STEP FOR RAMS: In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz wrote the hiring of Fisher "is a giant step forward for a Rams franchise that's been stuck in the landfill at Earth City for too long." Kroenke deserves "credit for stepping up and landing his No. 1 choice for a head coach." Given the "context of the Rams' brutal run of futility, [Fisher is] a terrific addition, and he's arriving at the right time." Miklasz: "No one knows if Fisher will be a big winner in St. Louis. But we do know this: the hire shows that Kroenke is serious about trying to win." Fisher "was expensive," but he "brings instant stability and credibility to Rams Park." After going through "a long and depressing void at the top of the football organization, after bad coaching hires and wrong turns, the Rams have finally hired a leader to reform their sad-sack operation." More than "anything, it came down to fit." Fisher "felt comfortable with having Kroenke as his boss." Kroenke "will let him coach, and won't be meddling." Fisher "did his homework and saw the autonomy that Kroenke gives" his Arsenal soccer manager Arsene Wenger and Nuggets coach George Karl. Fisher "wasn't as comfortable with the confusing front-office situation in Miami, which seemingly invites dysfunction" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/14).
REELING HIM IN: In St. Louis, Bryan Burwell noted Fisher "didn't just pick the Rams over the Dolphins." He picked "Stan Kroenke over Stephen Ross, preferring an owner whose style is a lot more like the Patriots' low-key Robert Kraft than the Cowboys' ostentatious Jerry Jones." He sided with an "experienced sports executive who made it clear that he already knows his way around the ownership block rather than a neophyte who appears to be a bit too infatuated with the glitzy spotlight that comes with being a member of the NFL's exclusive ownership fraternity." Fisher's hiring "energizes a fan base that desperately needs it." Losing out to Ross and the Dolphins "would have been perceived as a public embarrassment." Kroenke was "smart enough to understand all of this, which is why he had no hesitation about giving Fisher all the power he needs to run the entire football operation." That is "something that the inexperienced Ross couldn't quite figure out." A lot of Rams fans "wish that Kroenke would be one of those bold, hands-on owners like Jerry Jones." Burwell: "Luckily, he isn't that guy or chances are Fisher wouldn't be coming to St. Louis" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/15). Also in St. Louis, Jim Thomas noted indications are that Fisher "will have final say on personnel matters." If that is "the case, he won't be a dictator, and it won't be an ego-driven thing." He wants "input from all, and everyone involved." The Rams have "interviewed only three candidates so far for the GM Job," Eagles GM Ryan Grigson, Falcons Dir of Player Personnel Les Snead and Titans VP/Football Operations Lake Dawson. Dawson "may look like the front-runner because he has worked with Fisher in Tennessee" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/14).
A WINNER WITH FANS: The POST-DISPATCH's Miklasz notes in hiring Fisher, Kroenke "boosted his image and reputation among the team's skeptical fans." The hiring "made several positive statements that reflect well on Kroenke." It shows Kroenke "wants to win," and is "financially committed" to the team. It also shows he "recognized the need to raise the morale in his organization and with the team's fan base." But Kroenke is "still flunking in another critical area." He "won't be fully trusted or supported until he clarifies the team's future in St. Louis." The "unpleasant possibility of a Rams move flared up again during the Fisher negotiations," and a sticking point in the talks with Kroenke reportedly was Fisher's "concerns about a potential Rams transfer to L.A." (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 1/16). In St. Louis, Jeff Gordon noted the hiring "doesn’t guarantee the Rams will remain in St. Louis forever and ever." Kroenke "will use that escape clause in his stadium lease to strike favorable deals going forward." Gordon: "If he can’t strike those deals going forward, then, sure, he would be willing to explore options. Business is business." But this hiring "will energize the long-suffering Rams fans base, keep the revenue stream flowing and create a healthier business environment for the franchise." Gordon is "betting that Kroenke strikes an interim deal to stay in an upgraded Edward Jones Dome while he explores new stadium options" in the St. Louis area (STLTODAY.com, 1/13).
