The events of Monday explain why the Rams never formally announced (even after last weekend) that coach Jeff Fisher received a contract extension in the offseason. After Fisher was fired, Rams COO Kevin Demoff acknowledged that perhaps the deals for Fisher and G.M. Les Snead should have been announced when they were signed.
Demoff, via ESPN, explained that the Rams decided not to announce that contract extensions had been given to Fisher and Snead once the season began because they could be a “distraction.”
“Maybe that was a mistake in my part,” Demoff said.
The Rams presumably were waiting for the right moment to announce the extensions, but the right moment never came. The best opportunity arrived when the Rams won three straight games to get to 3-1. That window closed quickly as the losing commenced.
It remains to be seen whether and to what extent other changes will be made. The coach and/or G.M. targeted by owner Stan Kroenke may want Demoff to have no authority over the football operations or to be ousted entirely. Which could prompt Demoff to try to steer the process toward candidates who won’t try to render him undermined and/or unemployed.
As to Fisher, it’s widely believed that his two-year extension guarantees only 2017, limiting Kroenke’s buyout obligation. With premium products at the team’s new stadium eligible to be sold no later than February 15, it’s a small price to pay in order to get fans to purchase big-ticket items.