Rams Officially Introduce Jeff Fisher At Press Conference

The initial search for Fisher and then finally landing him lasted several weeks but Fisher says his decision was simple. He wanted a good quarterback and a good owner, which he says he has in St. Louis (and the cap space and No. 2 pick probably didn’t hurt either). Fisher said the Rams are equipped to turn it around quickly, which is possible considering a team goes from worst-to-first almost every year.

Among the other highlights of what Fisher had to say:

ESPN reports that Schottenheimer is still the favorite but Jackson will get a shot at the job.

Check out SB Nation’s Turf Show Times to see what Rams fans are saying about the possibility of Hue Jackson.

“The process has been lengthy, but for good reasons,” Fisher told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday afternoon. “I took a lot of time looking at and exploring in detail the non-economic issues of both clubs.”

“I’m really excited that the Rams are the best fit for me,” he added. “I hope I’m the best fit for the Rams, and am looking forward to finalizing the (contract) details and coming to work.”

Fisher had been head coach of the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise from 1994-2010, going to the Super Bowl in 2000 which he lost, funny enough, to Kurt Warner and the Rams.

For more reactions to Fisher’s decision, head over to the SB Nation blogs Turf Show Times and The Phinsider. Also be sure to head over to check out all of the 2012 Offseason NFL Moves.

Jeff Fisher appears to be down to the St. Louis Rams and Miami Dolphins as he mulls his head coaching options for next year. Until now, the Rams seemed to hold an edge, though concern the team may move to Los Angeles reportedly had Fisher spooked. On Wednesday, however, word leaked that the Miami Dolphins made Fisher a substantial offer -- one that would net him a jaw-dropping dollar figure per year.

According to National Football Post, Fisher has been offered the title of Executive Vice President, giving him the final word on personnel decisions, and a salary of at least $8 million per year.

Via the team site, Rams chief operating officer and executive vice president of football operations Kevin Demoff expects to hear the official news some time in the next few days.

For more on the coaching vacancies at St. Louis and Miami, head over to the SB Nation blogs Turf Show Times and The Phinsider. Also be sure to head over to check out all of the 2012 Offseason NFL Moves.

Fisher reportedly interviewed with the Miami Dolphins earlier this week and interviewed with the St. Louis Rams on Thursday. From the sounds of it, Fisher will mull over his decision this weekend and decide which team he would like to coach sometime next week.

For more on the coaching vacancies at St. Louis and Miami, head over to the SB Nation blogs Turf Show Times and The Phinsider. Also be sure to head over to our official hub for all 2012 Offseason NFL Moves.

Whether that means any other suitor is out of the picture is unclear. A team like the Indianapolis Colts could be attractive if they let go of Jim Caldwell and take Andrew Luck with the first pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. For now, though, Miami and St. Louis are apparently the top destinations.

For more on the coaching vacancies at St. Louis and Miami, head over to the SB Nation blogs Turf Show Times and The Phinsider. Also be sure to head over to our official hub for all 2012 Offseason NFL Moves.

Following his interview in Miami earlier this week, the Miami Herald reported that the Dolphins will not be outbid by any other team for Fisher’s services.

But...it’s a two-way street. Fisher has plenty of options and he’ll have to want the Dolphins as much as they want him. One of the things Fisher was looking for was the presence of a good young quarterback. A place like St. Louis has that, while Miami doesn’t.

The Dolphins fired Tony Sparano late in the 2011 season, after which the team, which started 0-7, went on a run to finish the season 6-10.

For updates and analysis on the Dolphins and their coaching search, head to Dolphins blog The Phinsider.

The Miami Herald recently made the case that the Dolphins have to hire Fisher. With Jon Gruden staying at ESPN, he’s the hottest coaching name on the market.

The Dolphins job may not be the best one available but it’s still a good one. After starting 0-7, the dolphins finished the season winning six of their last nine games. Clearly, they have some talent. What they’re missing, for the most part, is a quarterback.

“Everybody assumes that because my father represents Jeff Fisher, there’s a natural fit. His job is to represent Jeff Fisher; our job is to find the right head coach for the Rams,” Demoff explained. “I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that because I know someone who happens to know Jeff well, that I know Jeff well, that Jeff’s going to be our head coach.”

“I know that makes for great conjecture, great internet fodder...but it’s completely unfounded,” Demoff said.

This shouldn’t be a surprise. The Dolphins need to make a splash with their next hire to rejuvenate the franchise and with Jon Gruden reportedly staying at ESPN Fisher is clearly the most accomplished coach available.

Armando Salguero details the reasons the Dolphins needs to hire Fisher.

But we now have actual news regarding Fisher -- he’s going to interview with the Rams. Peter King of SI.com reports the interview could take place as soon as this week.

Check out SB Nation’s Turf Show Times where you’ll see plenty of happy Rams fans.