Jeff Fisher finally has another chance to be an NFL head coach.
One of the NFL’s all-time leaders in wins – and losses – will lead the Michigan Panthers in the first season of the new United States Football League, which will begin play this spring.
Fisher and Larry Fedora (New Orleans Breakers) were the final two coaches chosen for the eight-team league, which will play its entire season in Birmingham, Ala. Training camps will open March 21, and the 38-man teams will play a 10-game schedule beginning April 16 that leads into four-team playoff.
Fisher and Todd Haley (Tampa Bay Bandits) are the only former NFL head coaches in charge of teams in this latest attempt a spring football.
“I've been out of coaching for a few years now, but I've watched it at every level, and I've come to realize that I miss it,” Fisher said in a release from the league. “During my time away, I was blessed to do a lot of cool things, and I've caught plenty of fish, but there's a void there. So, I'm excited about the opportunity to fill that void by coaching in the USFL and getting back to the sideline.”
His last game as a head coach was Dec. 11, 2016. The Rams fell to 4-9 with a 42-14 to the Atlanta Falcons that day, and Fisher was fired. Recently, he expressed interest in college head coach openings and Montana State and East Tennessee State, and he spent last fall as an advisor to first-year Tennessee State University coach Eddie George. In 2019, he served as a league executive with the short-lived Alliance of American Football.
Fisher went 173-165-1 in all or parts of 22 seasons in charge of the Titans/Oilers and the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. His win total ranks 12th in NFL history, and the losses tie him with Dan Reeves for the most in league history.
In 20 full seasons, his teams finished .500 or better 11 times and made six playoff appearances. He led the Titans to the best record in the NFL twice (13-3 in 2000 and 2008) and to their only Super Bowl appearance, Super Bowl XXXIV following the 1999 season.
“We now have eight unbelievably qualified head coaches leading USFL teams,” USFL President of Football Operations Brian Wood said. “They’re all looking forward to putting together staffs, evaluating talent, and planning the player selection strategies they’ll need to build championship-caliber football teams. The anticipation is growing as we reach each major milestone on the road to kick-off in April.”
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