INDIANAPOLIS _ Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher on Friday explained his decision not to retain Gregg Williams as defensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams.
Williams, who was suspended all of the 2012 season by the NFL for his role in the New Orleans Saints Bounty-gate scandal, was let go by Fisher before his reinstatement and recently was hired by the Titans as a senior defensive assistant.
“We made that decision well before the season ended that we wanted to go a different direction,” Fisher said. “Had I not had the assistants that I had on the staff, and I'm talking about Dave McGinnis, Chuck Cecil and coach (Mike) Waufle and we were really fortunate to get (former Titans linebackes coach) Frank Bush now, who has also coordinated. We just felt like we wanted just to be the Rams defense and moving in a little different direction than what Gregg's philosophies are.”
Fisher and Williams have been close friends over the years, but Fisher said he has not spoken to Williams since the reinstatement.
“I have not spoken with him since he was reinstated. I'm happy that it worked out the way it did. I believe Gregg can help the Titans and help Coach (Mike) Munchak, and Coach Jerry Gray. And the other side of that is they can help him re-establish himself back in the league,” Fisher said.
He also said he foresees no issues with Williams and Gray working side-by-side in running the Titans defense.
“They've worked together in the past, and there were no issues. Now, some years have gone by, but when they were on our staff, they never had any issues,” Fisher said.
- Terry McCormick
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