Rift Exists Between Rams HC Jeff Fisher & GM Les Snead, Team Nicknamed “Junior High”

According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, Rams HC Jeff Fisher’s recent comments regarding GM Les Snead’s extension revealed a rift that has existed for quite some time.

In case you missed, Fisher offered a strange comment earlier in the week about Snead’s contract extension:

“I’m so busy here, I was honestly unaware he was extended. I’m being honest with you, we’re just working here,” 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 kinds of things you don’t anticipate.

“But we’re moving forward.”

Breer says that these comments “went over like a neutron bomb” within the ranks of the Rams.

The Rams have reportedly earned the nickname “Junior High” for the sniping that has gone on between members of the team.

One Rams’ source tells Breer that Fisher’s comments “pissed [him] off.”

“It pissed me off because I knew it was meant as a shot,” said one Rams source. “You see it under that umbrella—‘We need to do a better job in personnel.’ OK, but you want everyone to think that you have full control. You can’t have it both ways, and it can’t always be the talent. Look at the roster, 2012 to now. In ’12, Jeff did a masterful job with what he was given. But we’ve gotten more talent, and we’ve gotten worse.”

Breer mentions that the relationship between Fisher and Snead has been consistently described to me as “toxic” for a while now.

“It’s always good to have healthy tension between the coach and GM, but that shouldn’t hurt the team or cause finger-pointing,” said club source tells Breer. “Over five years, (Tuesday) was the first time you saw public comments. That should never happen. … The organization has given them a long leash. And given that they’ve had time, they have to win, and they have to be able to work together.”

While both Fisher and Snead received contract extensions earlier in the year, the possibility still exists that the Rams could move on from both of them after the season.

Fisher previously mentioned that he expects to be the team’s head coach for the 2017 season.

“Yes, I do,” Fisher said. “I’ve got some work to do here to finish up strong. You know, we have some personnel issues to deal with and get better. And we have some issues to deal with from an offensive side of the ball.”

Since taking the job in 2012, Fisher has led the Rams to a record of 31-44-1 (41.1 percent), which includes four straight seasons of less than eight wins and no playoff appearances.

We’ll have more regarding Fisher’s status with the Rams as the news is available.