Fathers and Sons Likely to be Coaching with Rams
By Howard Balzer
Published: January 16, 2012 @ 5:33pm
Howard Balzer is the Managing Editor and Lead Columnist for 101Sports.com and host of "Pro Football Sunday" on 101 ESPN. Contact him via email at HBalzer@101espn.com and follow him on twitter @HBalzer721.As plans were being finalized to introduce Jeff Fisher to St. Louis at at a 1 pm Tuesday press conference, the new Rams’ coach has hit the ground running in putting together his coaching staff. (The press conference will be broadcast on 101 ESPN and streamed here on 101sports.com.)An agreement was also finalized Monday that will bring Gregg Williams to the Rams as defensive coordinator, and his 27-year-old son Blake is also expected to be on staff at a position to be determined.
Gregg Williams has been the New Orleans’ Saints defensive coordinator for the last three seasons, and he was with Fisher with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1994-2000. Blake Williams, who played football at Princeton, has been with his father in his last three coaching stops at Washington, Jacksonville and New Orleans. He has been a defensive coaching assistant with the Saints.
Williams won’t be the only coach with his son on the Rams’ staff. Fisher’s son Brandon, who played at Montana, was a defensive assistant this past season with the Detroit Lions, working under Jim Schwartz, who was the Titans’ defensive coordinator until becoming the Lions’ head coach in 2009.
Last year, Titans owner Bud Adams’ nepotism policy precluded Fisher from adding his son to the staff. Brandon Fisher had helped the team on an unofficial basis during the 2010 season when offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger was diagnosed with cancer.
When Fisher then tried to hire Brandon after the 2010 season, Adams said no, and it is believed to have been the final issue that led to Fisher’s departure from the Titans.
Of course, Fisher knew full well of Adams’ rules because he wanted to hire Williams two years earlier as defensive coordinator after Schwartz was hired by the Lions. However, Adams wouldn’t allow Williams’ son to also be hired, so Williams turned down the job and went to New Orleans.
Last week, with rumors rampant about Williams joining Fisher, he told the New Orleans Times-Picayune, "I love it here, this is a great organization. I will tell you this about Jeff. He's my best friend in coaching. The National Football League needs him coaching, they need for him to be a head coach in this league.
"There's not very many people as good as he is at what he does. I'm anxious to see where he's going to go. I don't know. I don't know any more than you (reporters). I don't talk to him, I don't mess with him at this time of the year. He doesn't mess with me at this time of the year."
On the offensive coordinator front, reports that Brian Schottenheimer had been offered the job Sunday night were apparently premature. NFL Network's Michael Lombardi had the initial report about the supposed offer. However, ESPN's Adam Schefter later reported there had been no offer, but there would likely be one Monday. Then, Monday evening, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported that former Raiders coach Hue Jackson would be interviewed by Fisher Wednesday, while noting that Schottenheimer was still the favorite.
Stay tuned. All might change again at any moment.
By Howard Balzer
Published: January 16, 2012 @ 5:33pm
Howard Balzer is the Managing Editor and Lead Columnist for 101Sports.com and host of "Pro Football Sunday" on 101 ESPN. Contact him via email at HBalzer@101espn.com and follow him on twitter @HBalzer721.As plans were being finalized to introduce Jeff Fisher to St. Louis at at a 1 pm Tuesday press conference, the new Rams’ coach has hit the ground running in putting together his coaching staff. (The press conference will be broadcast on 101 ESPN and streamed here on 101sports.com.)An agreement was also finalized Monday that will bring Gregg Williams to the Rams as defensive coordinator, and his 27-year-old son Blake is also expected to be on staff at a position to be determined.
Gregg Williams has been the New Orleans’ Saints defensive coordinator for the last three seasons, and he was with Fisher with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans from 1994-2000. Blake Williams, who played football at Princeton, has been with his father in his last three coaching stops at Washington, Jacksonville and New Orleans. He has been a defensive coaching assistant with the Saints.
Williams won’t be the only coach with his son on the Rams’ staff. Fisher’s son Brandon, who played at Montana, was a defensive assistant this past season with the Detroit Lions, working under Jim Schwartz, who was the Titans’ defensive coordinator until becoming the Lions’ head coach in 2009.
Last year, Titans owner Bud Adams’ nepotism policy precluded Fisher from adding his son to the staff. Brandon Fisher had helped the team on an unofficial basis during the 2010 season when offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger was diagnosed with cancer.
When Fisher then tried to hire Brandon after the 2010 season, Adams said no, and it is believed to have been the final issue that led to Fisher’s departure from the Titans.
Of course, Fisher knew full well of Adams’ rules because he wanted to hire Williams two years earlier as defensive coordinator after Schwartz was hired by the Lions. However, Adams wouldn’t allow Williams’ son to also be hired, so Williams turned down the job and went to New Orleans.
Last week, with rumors rampant about Williams joining Fisher, he told the New Orleans Times-Picayune, "I love it here, this is a great organization. I will tell you this about Jeff. He's my best friend in coaching. The National Football League needs him coaching, they need for him to be a head coach in this league.
"There's not very many people as good as he is at what he does. I'm anxious to see where he's going to go. I don't know. I don't know any more than you (reporters). I don't talk to him, I don't mess with him at this time of the year. He doesn't mess with me at this time of the year."
On the offensive coordinator front, reports that Brian Schottenheimer had been offered the job Sunday night were apparently premature. NFL Network's Michael Lombardi had the initial report about the supposed offer. However, ESPN's Adam Schefter later reported there had been no offer, but there would likely be one Monday. Then, Monday evening, Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported that former Raiders coach Hue Jackson would be interviewed by Fisher Wednesday, while noting that Schottenheimer was still the favorite.
Stay tuned. All might change again at any moment.
