APThe Glazer family notoriously keeps their plans regarding the football team they own to themselves. In early 2009, for example, no one expected Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden and G.M. Bruce Allen to be fired. But they were, promptly replaced by Raheem Morris and Mark Dominik, respectively.
Now, with the Bucs in a nine-game free fall and storm clouds gathering over Morris and fan apathy deepening in Tampa, the Glazers have given no hints as to what they plan to do with their head coach, whose contract expires after the 2012 season. Many expect Morris to be fired. Recently, former Bucs quarterback Shaun King made a fairly persuasive case for keeping Morris in an appearance on PFT Live.
With Black Monday looming, with multiple coaches likely to be fired (primarily to allow the official search to begin immediately), a log has been thrown onto the smoldering embers in Tampa. Or, more accurately, Atlanta.
With the Bucs in Georgia to play the Falcons, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports that former Titans coach Jeff Fisher was spotted at the Buccaneers’ hotel on Saturday. Stroud points out that Fisher’s son, Trent, plays college football at Auburn, which faced Virginia Saturday night at the Georgia Dome in what used to be known as the Peach Bowl.
It’s unknown why Fisher, one of the hottest commodities entering the 2012 coaching carousel, was at the team hotel, or whether he met with anyone while he was there. Perhaps he was catching up with Albert Haynesworth, who played for Fisher in Tennessee from 2002 through 2008. Perhaps he addressed the team at Raheem’s request. Perhaps Fisher was walking by the hotel and received a phone call from the area code in which Mother Nature resides. Or perhaps Fisher decided to build a little buzz — and mess a little bit with the media — by swinging through the lobby of the Bucs’ hotel while he was in town, knowing at some level that it would create a stir.
Regardless of the explanation, it would be odd and out of character for the Glazers to bring Fisher into the team hotel for an interview for a job that is still filled. But odd things happen when the time comes to hire and fire coaches; three years ago, the timing of the Gruden/Allen ouster and the Morris/Dominik arrival created a clear impression that the replacements were lined up behind the backs of the men who held those jobs, before those men were relieved of their duties.
Either way, we’ll find out more once the regular season ends, and Morris is, or isn’t, fired.
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Someone wake up Jerrah! They’re trying to take his coach!
Perhaps he happened to be staying in the hotel and had no contact with the Bucs.
Will they let him spend more than $98.50 on players?
He was just in the hood.
But Glazer has to interview a minority coach first to prove he isn’t racist even though he currently has one.
17 Seasons Coaching
5 Winning Seasons
4 Playoff wins
0 Super Bowls
Man, this is rumoring to the highest degree. I don’t believe the Bucs would interview a man for a job that is currently filled, especially at the team hotel. And I don’t believe Jeff Fisher would agree to that either. We’ll have to believe in coincidences.
Hands down Fisher is the best available coach out there. Unless, of course, Chuck Noll is thinking about a comeback.
Fisher probably works at the hotel. Times are tough, and there’s no shame in delivering room service.
Easy mistake. Roughly 1 out of every 4 adult males in Tampa looks like Jeff Fisher.
Doing a porn shoot
Jeff Fisher = Overrated
The real interview with Fisher will be in a San Diego Hotel.
This is not surprising. This is a small-market team like Tennessee and, weirdly enough, Haynesworth is there.
Fisher as the Buccaneers coach???
Chuck Cecil as defensive coordinator and his one-time wide receiver coach Ray Sherman as a coach for Mike Williams. Much can happen.
Who cares what Shaun King has to say about anything? How did this guy become some kind of “analyst?” Does anyone remember seeing him play?
Was hoping he might end up in St. Louis (not that a head coach can fix all that is broken with the Rams).
His son plays for Auburn. Just a coincidence same hotel per Peter King.
Jeff Fisher is not as good of a head coach as some like to think, but he is one of the best coaches available. Unfortunately they don’t make coaches like they used to. That said, even if they did I don’t think players would do good with them, most need to be babied.
Perhaps its a smoke screen, who knows, he could be staying over night in south beach. Bill
Who cares what Shaun King has to say about anything? How did this guy become some kind of “analyst?” Does anyone remember seeing him play?
So I guess he should have no opinions on football. What makes lombardi or schefter or any other fan the right to have an opinion then? At least the guy has played the game at a high level and does have insight and knowledge about the game.
Fisher is in town to watch his son play in a bowl game. Last time I checked, he is still rich and I doubt he will stay at La Quinta Inn…..