Jeff Fisher was 'unaware' Rams GM Les Snead also got an extension

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/print?id=32108

Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Jeff Fisher was ‘unaware’ Rams GM Les Snead also got an extension
By Alden Gonzalez

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Jeff Fisher is busy.

So busy, in fact, that the Los Angeles Rams’ coach allegedly did not know that his own general manager, Les Snead, had also received a contract extension, even though Fisher and Snead both signed their deals before the season began.

“I’m so busy here, I was honestly unaware that he was extended,” Fisher said after Tuesday’s practice. “I’m just being honest with you. We’re just working here.”

Fisher and Snead, previously heading into the final year of their contracts, are now signed through the 2018 season. But those extensions don’t guarantee much beyond compensation. The Rams — losers of seven of their past eight — still have to show signs of getting on track for each to return.

The month of December could be an interesting one.

By the end of it, Fisher and Snead could both be back. Or both could be fired. Or perhaps Snead is let go and Fisher comes back. Or maybe Snead returns and Fisher is let go. The two aren’t necessarily tied together, which might have been illustrated by the manner in which Fisher answered a trio of questions about Snead, never really going out of his way to offer much praise.

Asked about their relationship, Fisher said: “We’re doing the best we can to put a roster together for the future. … We’ve not had any issues. We communicate really well, and we’re on the same page.”

News of the extensions leaked Sunday morning, but the organization was not necessarily enthused about getting behind it. The Rams did not put out a press release or a statement, and there was no mention of it on the team’s social-media accounts. Rams chief operating officer Kevin Demoff declined to comment on the extensions when approached Tuesday, and the team has not made Snead available to speak on it.

Snead filled in on Fisher’s weekly radio show for Los Angeles’ KSPN-AM 710 later Tuesday evening and was asked about his extension, simply saying: “We’re not satisfied where we’re at. We have unfinished business. There’s work to do. That’s what we’re focused on.”

Snead and Fisher both essentially came in together in 2012, taking over a franchise that had lost 65 of 80 games over the previous five seasons. Since then, the Rams have drafted the likes of Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, Tavon Austin, Aaron Donald, Alec Ogletree and Trumaine Johnson, but have not finished better than 7-8-1 and have not come close to figuring it out offensively.

Asked what he has thought of Snead’s tenure as GM, Fisher said: “I look at this as being my responsibility, the win-loss record. We need to do a better job from a personnel standpoint. We’ve had some unfortunate things take place with some high picks in Stedman Bailey and Tre Mason and those kind of things that you don’t anticipate. But we’re moving forward.”