Jeff Fisher

A native of Southern California, Fisher was a high school All-America wide receiver at Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Calif. Fisher is an avid fisherman and golfer and he also does considerable work off the field. A former defensive back at the University of Southern California, Fisher played for Robinson in a star-studded defensive backfield that included future NFL stars Ronnie Lott, Dennis Smith and Joey Browner. Fisher's career college statistics included five interceptions and 108 tackles. The versatile Fisher also served as the Trojans' backup kicker and earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors in 1980. Originally a seventh-round draft selection of the Chicago Bears in 1981, Fisher appeared in 49 games as a defensive back and return specialist in five NFL seasons. He earned a Super Bowl ring following Chicago's 1985 Super Bowl season, despite spending the year on injured reserve with an ankle injury that prematurely ended his playing career. During that season, Fisher began his post-playing career by assisting Ryan as an "unofficial" coach as the Bears ultimately defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. He left Chicago in 1985 holding a number of team records including: number of punt return yards for a season with 509 yards in 1981, number of punt returns in a season with 58 in 1984, and number of punt returns in one game with eight on Dec. 16, 1984, at Detroit. He also recorded the longest punt return by a Bear in 39 years with an 88-yard return for a touchdown on Sept. 20, 1981, against Tampa Bay. Fisher began his coaching career as an assistant for Buddy Ryan and the Philadelphia Eagles in 1986, coaching the defensive backs for three seasons before becoming the NFL's youngest defensive coordinator in 1988. In 1989, the Eagles' defense led the NFL in interceptions (30) and quarterback sacks (62). In 1990, Philadelphia's defense paced the league in rushing defense and ranked second in quarterback sacks.