The Los Angeles Rams, formerly known as the St. Louis Rams, fired head coach Jeff Fisher last Monday after a decision by the Rams CEO Kevin Demoff.
Before the start of the season, Fisher signed a contract, which extended his coaching time for the Los Angeles Rams through 2018. However, almost close to the end of the season, the Rams went a different route and decided to fire Fisher, regardless of what the contract stated.
When Rams owner Stan Kroenke gave Fisher an extension, he assumed that Fisher would lead the Rams to a winning season after relocating to Inglewood, California for 2019. There was a sentiment involved which stated that it would be iniquitous to critic Fisher’s coaching until at least one year after the move and after receiving first-round draft pick Jared Goff.
However, the first game of the season for the Los Angeles Rams didn’t go as planned. The Rams suffered a blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers during a Monday Night Football game and losing continued from there.
Fisher was fired one day after the Rams 42-14 blowout loss against the Atlanta Falcons, dropping the Rams record to 4-9. The setback marked the Rams third consecutive one-sided defeat.
Furthermore, the loss gave former Head Coach Fisher his 165th career loss, which was enough for Demoff to know his decision was “solely a performance-related issue” and “an organizational failure.”
“Making a decision such as this, especially during the season, is one of the most difficult in sports,” the team owner Stan Kroenke said in statement. “I have great respect for Jeff as a coach, person, father and friend.”
Since 2012, the Rams have not finished a season better than 7-8-1. Additionally, Under Fisher, the team has had six consecutive losing seasons to add to their four previous losing seasons.
However, Coach Fisher wasn’t and isn’t the only coach in the discussion of coach eventually becoming fired.
Coach Gus Bradley from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Coach Chuck Pagano from the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Caldwell from the Detroit Lions and many other NFL coaches as well.
The Los Angeles Rams, after announcing the firing of Jeff Fisher, stated that current special-teams coordinator, John Fassel, will be named interim head coach.
Fassel has been the Rams ‘special-teams coordinator for five years as well as the Oakland Raiders’ special-teams coordinator from 2009-2011.
"I think Coach Fassel carries tremendous respect from our players and carries tremendous respect from our coaches," Demoff said. "He'll bring tremendous energy. And this is about getting the most out of our group for the last few games."
With the season coming to an end, the Rams are definitely not in the playoff picture, but next year is a whole new season and the Los Angeles Rams will be seeking for a better year.