Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

At least publicly, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher doesn't have any hard feelings about the way Rob Ryan came to St. Louis as his defensive coordinator, left four days later and took the same position with the New Orleans Saints less than two weeks after that.

The Rams announced the hiring of Ryan on Jan. 25. On Jan. 29, the Rams then issued a statement saying, "After extensive discussions involving defensive philosophy, the Rams and Rob Ryan agreed that he was not the right fit for the defensive coordinator position."

Saints coach Sean Payton hired Ryan on Feb. 9 after interviewing him and University of Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

Fisher said Wednesday though Ryan never signed a contract, he "made a commitment" to be the Rams' defensive coordinator. But Fisher didn't harbor any ill will toward Ryan.


"People sometimes in life change their mind, and I was fine with that," Fisher said. "I had no problem. If he wanted to go there, that's fine. If he wanted to stay here, that's great. We were obviously talking and had a couple of things together and he had a change of heart. That is fine and (I) have respect for that."

ESPN reported at the time that "Rams coach Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan told him he was leaving to work for Sean Payton by walking in office and dropping keys on his desk." Payton told a different story Wednesday.


"I had gotten a call, and it was someone else that said, 'Hey, he might be available. He's not staying in St. Louis,'" Payton said. "So once that was the case, then I had an interest. It ended up working out for us."

The Saints' defense has undergone a massive transformation under Ryan after last season's historically poor effort under Steve Spagnuolo. This season the Saints' defense ranks sixth in total defense, fifth in scoring, third against the pass and 17th vs. the run.

"He (Ryan) has done a great job," Fisher said. "He is an outstanding coach. He has them playing well and he has the pieces now. There are no holes in the defense. Everyone is playing well together."

The Rams brought in Tim Walton to replace Ryan as defensive coordinator. St. Louis ranks 19th in total defense, 13th against the run, 22nd vs. the pass and 14th in points allowed.

Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints: notebook | NOLA.com

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

No holes in the defense, I agree. Defense doesn't have great speed though. That's pretty much all we lack.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

ESPN doing it's usual gossip crap. tell ya they are now the "ET" of the sports world. clacking flock of hens

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

It would also be nice to see more turnovers but I'm not complaining

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Yeah i remember some shenanigans when he came on board. He wound up with the right team.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Fisher and Payton are too classy to turn this into any kind of drama.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

It's not gonna be them that's doin' it...

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Sour grapes, or the one that got away.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Doesn't Greg Williams coach there in some capacity?

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Yea that is one area I would give them an F. It's not like they don't have the opportunity the dbs drop balls every single game. I can't remember the last time we recovered a fumble. Hopefully that means we are do and get a bunch during playoffs.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

As I recall at the time the story was Ryan wanted some control over the defensive scheme and they were dead-set on a 4-3. Purely a philosophical difference. And if you look at the timing there is no way he was leaving the Rams to come here. There was not anything even close to a rumor about him coming to the Saints until a couple weeks after he left the Rams.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Dude, Williams is in tennesse, he got hired by the mutton punchers before his suspension.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

But the good thing is, they're making tackles and stopping plays instead of wasting their time TRYING to strip the ball. Make the tackle first. A punt, in my opinion, IS a turnover.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Fisher has some gall.... He tells Rob Ryan that he is a bad fit for what the Rams want to do, then comments he has no hard feelings towards Rob Ryan for coming to the Saints?

Fisher says some times people "change their minds"? Jeff.. you told the man he was not a good fit, did you expect him to stay and be your minion to do things your way?

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

As far as for turnovers... You don't just go on the field and "get turn overs" be it INTs or fumble recoveries. You have to force them and a lot of that is luck and being at the right place at the right time.

Darren Sharper had 9 interceptions in 2009 but he didn't just start each game and go get one lol.

We have missed a few opportunities but those are opportunities, not part of anyone's job description.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

I dated a girl once for a few days, until the prom queen became available

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

dates in Atlanta?

sister or farm animal?


:^/

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Ryan just didn't fit the Rams.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

I hope Rob has made a new commitment to the rams, to kick their a$$!

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

He made a commitment:

I'm going to check this out and see if there's a fit. If not, I'm out.

Sounds like the floor clerk at the Discount Shoe Warehouse is pissed the customer went to Sachs.

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Hey....don't let that bother you Saintfan76. Now I live in Idaho. My choice is tubesocks or "Pamela HANDerson".

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Why was the prom queen available all of a sudden?:lolup:

Re: Jeff Fisher says Rob Ryan 'made a commitment' to St. Louis Rams before opting for New Orleans Saints
 

Let's see Sean Payton or Jeff Fisher hmm! Sean Payton or Jeff Fisher
what was the question.