Former Rams head coach Jeff Fisher could be part of broadcasting team for Fox

Former Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher looks to call at least one NFL game this fall for Fox.  Here’s why I think that is a great idea.

You may have seen the news this week that former Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher has signed a deal with Fox and will serve as an analyst for at least one game next season. Fisher is a man of “ill repute” among most Rams fans, as his 5 year stint with the Rams failed to produce a single non-losing season, and ended in his firing, despite high hopes in players like first overall pick QB Sam Bradford and eventual Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. So, many are not interested in hearing him analyze the game.

I am actually excited about it, and here’s why.

Fisher was both a player and a coach.

He played for the Chicago Bears in the mid 1980’s for Mike Mike Ditka and Budy Ryan in one of the fiercest defenses in football history. That is where he got his defensive pedigree. After that he coached the Houston Oilers turned Tennessee Titans for 17 years before coming to the Rams.

All of the experience and perspective gives him a “mustache load” of stories to share with viewers. He brings a head coaches perspective but still knows what it was like to be a player. That is an interesting combination to have in the booth. He has always been known as a good handler of players as well, so he may be able to comment on the attitudes and intricacies of the more dramatic players in the league, which get a lot of attention on Sundays.

He’s old school.

With the emergence of young “new school” guys like San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, and our very own Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, Fisher brings a contrasted old school, grizzled type of perspective that makes for good commentary. This is what made Jon Gruden a good commentator as well. These guys can explain the new game well enough, but they bring a toughness that honors the historic game. He will get excited about big hits and well executed blocks. He will look at more than the ball and draw attention to elements of the game the average fan will miss.

He is articulate and clever.

Fisher failed with the Rams because he was unable to field a competent offense. This has some fans suggesting he has nothing to offer in the booth. However, he can clearly explain the game well enough for the average (or even advanced) fan to learn about the game. To suggest a football veteran of 35 years does not know enough about the game to succeed in broadcasting is nonsense. Building a team on the field and talking about the game are different skills.

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In addition, the aging coach is clever. The chances fans have had to listen to him, both in coaches interviews and behind the scenes in productions like HBO’s Hard Knocks or Amazon’s All or Nothing, we notice that he is an engaging guy who cares about the game, his players, and is a good talker. He was always pretty good at that dimension of the job (with one or two exceptions), and that should translate to the booth.