Former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher is going to try and help another Nashville football franchise win a championship.
This new venture is different, however. Fisher won't be on the sidelines calling plays or managing any games. Instead, he will serve as Chief Advisor for the relaunch of Nashville's arena league team, the Nashville Kats. The team has new owners in Nashville Arena Sports, LLC and is making a comeback after officially shutting down in 2007.
The Arena Football League, as a whole, returns after a four-year hiatus and it has 16 teams on deck for the 2024 relaunch.
“I’m extremely honored to be an integral part of building an Arena Football team this city will be proud of with the goal of bringing AFL Championships to my hometown of Nashville,” Kats general manager and former Brentwood Academy player Gregg Johnson said. “Our ownership group is aware of the past successes of the AFL in Nashville, and we are eager to expand on that brand and become yet another viable offering in the Music City entertainment and sports landscape.”
Fisher and his staff "will be assisted by Nashville sports communications veteran and Tennessee Sports Writers Association Hall of Famer Greg Pogue, who will also serve as Team Advisor", per the team's official release.
“The Nashville Kats were and will be again such a viable part of the Nashville and middle Tennessee sports and entertainment landscape,” Kats CEO Tamara Dadd Alan said. “We have a wonderful opportunity to build on that. Most of all, we just want to have some fun.”
Fisher infamously led the Titans to a Super Bowl back in 1999, where they ultimately fell short to the then-St. Louis Rams. In an ironic twist, he became head coach of those same Rams after he was fired in 2011. Overall, he has 31 seasons of NFL coaching experience that include 20 seasons as head coach of two different teams.
He also helped the Rams move from St. Louis to Los Angeles. So, if anyone knows a thing or two about fresh starts, it's Fisher.
“I am excited to be part of the organization bringing the Arena Football League back to Nashville,” Fisher said. “I have always been a big fan of Arena Football, especially the Nashville Kats when they played here. It is so entertaining with so many talented players and coaches. And in that setting, the fans become so much a part of not only the game, but the overall experience.”
The Kats will play their home games at Municipal Auditorium. The season-opener is set for April 27, 2024 and the full regular-season schedule consists of 10 games.
All quotes and information provided by Vital Versatility
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