The fact that Jeff Fisher has remained head coach of the same NFL team for 16 years despite only six playoff appearances and one Super Bowl berth means that he’s damn good when it comes to at least some aspects of the job, including keeping the locker room in his corner.
When it comes to quarterback Vince Young, Fisher seems to be taking to the public his quest to keep the players on his side.
A day after an interview aired on NFL Network in which Fisher told Steve Mariucci that Young is likely better off not coming to the team facility given the players’ reaction to his post-game antics after a loss last month to the Redskins, Fisher now says he’s surprised Young hasn’t come around since the day he was reportedly asked to leave.
“I’m surprised he’s not here,” Fisher said, per Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com, possibly hoping to plant that same question in the minds of players inclined to support Young, like receiver Kenny Britt. “He was not told to not be here. But again, he’s following the guidelines of what we do with injured reserve players. We’ve got several players that are rehabbing outside of Nashville that are not here for games, and we’ve got a handful of players that are rehabbing here and are here for the games.”
Fisher also said he’ll make no specific effort to meet with Young during the final three weeks of the season. “I’m coaching this football team,” Fisher said. “I’m not gonna go out of my way to do that, because that doesn’t have any bearing on what’s gonna happen tomorrow or this weekend or over the next three weeks. He’s welcome to come in if he wants to. We’re gonna address it when the season is over. It will eventually be addressed. There’s no rush right now as far as the last three games are concerned.”
Bottom line? A battle is looming between Fisher and Young. Though the final decision will be made by owner Bud Adams, Fisher knows that the inclinations of the players under contract for 2011 will be (or at least should be) a factor.