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Eight teams came into the 2019 NFL offseason with coaching vacancies, but one of the names that hasn't been floated as a candidate is Jeff Fisher, who last coached in 2016 with the Los Angeles Rams. 

In a piece by Charlotte Wilder of SI.com, Fisher spoke on a number of topics, from his future (or lack thereof) in the NFL to what it was like getting fired midseason by the Rams after a 4-9 start.

"Fisher tears up describing how he watched the bus pull away from the stadium on a Wednesday as the Rams set off to play Seattle before he packed up his office and left," Wilder wrote. "'It's a tough memory,' Fisher says, collecting himself. 'Rejection is hard.'"

Fisher also said he'd like to coach again if the opportunity presented itself:

"You want to know if I'm sitting here waiting for my phone to ring, to have an NFL team call me? Maybe I'll be hunting and fishing the rest of my life. I've made my peace with it. But yeah, I'd love to coach again. I miss the players. I just want to get back to the players. I go back to what Bum Phillips said. 'There are two kinds of coaches: Those who got fired and those who are going to get fired.' You're all going to get fired at some point. Not all, but 99 percent. It's rare for a player or a coach to walk away on his own terms."

Whether he gets that shot again in the NFL remains to be seen, though Fisher didn't go out on top. For his career, he went 173-165-1 between the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams, reaching the postseason six times and the Super Bowl in the 1999 campaign, famously coming one yard short from sending the game to overtime. 

But Fisher's teams missed the postseason in his final seven years in the league, finishing with a 7-9 record twice in that span, an 8-8 record once and a 7-8-1 record once, solidifying Fisher's reputation as a middle-of-the-pack coach who produced mediocre teams.

That reputation became a running joke when Sean McVay took over for Fisher last season and promptly led the Rams to the postseason while getting the most out of young quarterback Jared Goff, something that Fisher was unable to do in his brief time with the signal caller.

But judging Fisher on his later years alone, or comparing his coaching to McVay's, is perhaps only offering part of the picture. Several of his former players spoke highly of him to Wilder, including running back Eddie George.

"I loved playing for Jeff. He's the consummate players coach. He gave us range and freedom to be men, but held us accountable inside the locker room to get our job done. He knew how to coach the person, not just the player. And it was more like he was really interested in our lives, our families lives, what made us tick. He knew how to inspire, mentor, nourish and cultivate guys. He's a people’s person for sure."

Rams offensive lineman Rodger Saffold agreed.

"We all loved Coach Fish. A guy that looks out for players, and keeps it special, and takes all the s--t like he used to, and all of our struggles?" he said. "You can't do anything but fight for a guy like that."

Another factor working against Fisher, however, is that many teams are seeking young, bright offensive minds as head coaches—namely those who can develop quarterbacks—in an effort to replicate the success the Rams have had with McVay. Veteran defensive minds like Fisher are less in vogue. 

Player's coach or not, fighting against the trend is an uphill battle, and one that works against Fisher's return to the NFL. Two seasons after McVay replaced Fisher, the move remains a metaphor for what the modern NFL values in its head coaches. 

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