Jeff Fisher

An ESPN report caused a stir Thursday night, but recently fired Titans coach Jeff Fisher is not going to become the Eagles' next defensive coordinator, according to multiple NFL sources. ESPN reported that Eagles coach Andy Reid had informed candidates that the vacancy at coordinator had been filled. "Do not be surprised if Jeff Fisher winds up as the defensive coordinator in Philadelphia," the network's John Clayton said. The league sources said those statements were not true.

Jeff Fisher does not deny that the Eagles acquired a special player earlier this month when they kicked off the free-agent signing period by giving defensive end Jevon Kearse an eight-year, $66 million deal. What the Tennessee Titans coach still wonders about is Kearse's health. "Jevon, when he's healthy, is one of the best pass rushers in the game," said Fisher, who spent five seasons as Kearse's coach. "The great misconception is that he's just a pass rusher. He's also exceptional against the run. He's going to draw attention and he's going to create opportunities for his teammates.

It's easy to romanticize the road not taken. What if you'd married your first real love? Where would you be now if you had gone to a different college? How would things have been different if the Eagles had hired Jeff Fisher instead of Rich Kotite back on Jan. 8, 1991? "I believe I could have been successful with that team," said Fisher, who will make his return to Veterans Stadium when his Tennessee Titans play the Eagles tomorrow night. "That was a very good team. " It was. Fisher was 32 years old the day his mentor, Buddy Ryan, was fired by Norman Braman.

Two Coatesville senior linemen, Jeff Fisher and Tim Turner, announced yesterday they would play football for North Carolina State. The players plan to sign letters of intent with the ACC school at a ceremony at the high school Wednesday, the first day football recruits are permitted to sign letters of intent. "We've been real good friends since ninth-grade football," said Turner, who is 6-foot-7, 295 pounds. "So I think it's a blessing that the two of us are not only going to play at a good Division I school with good academics, but that we'll be playing together again.

First came the smile, then the pang. First you grinned as an old friend thrust his fists into the air in joyful vindication on the floor of the Georgia Dome. But it was hard to savor Dick Vermeil's scintillating triumph in Sunday's Super Bowl without a wistful sigh for what might have been. What might have been in 1981, when the Vermeil-coached Eagles fell short of the same goal in another noisy dome. And what might have been in 1995, when he flirted with a return to coaching at the Vet. There were pangs to be had, too, glancing at the losing sideline, too. The coach of the gallant Tennessee Titans.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher was here yesterday for discussions with Los Angeles Rams coach John Robinson, who earlier this week fired his defensive coordinator and five other assistants. Fisher, who said he made the trip with the permission of Eagles officials, said he would not characterize the talks as interviews for the vacancy created when Fritz Shurmur was fired. "We discussed defensive philosophies and some directions (Robinson) was headed in and my philosophy to see if they intersect.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Mike Heimerdinger, 58, a veteran assistant coach in the NFL who directed high-powered offenses and developed quarterbacks such as Steve McNair, Jay Cutler, and Vince Young, died Friday. The Tennessee Titans confirmed Mr. Heimerdinger's death after talking with his family. He died while in Mexico to receive experimental treatments for a rare form of cancer. He was offensive coordinator for the Titans when his cancer was diagnosed in November 2010. "Mike approached cancer with the same vigor and tenacity that he approached any football game - to win," Heimerdinger's wife, Kathie, said in a statement.

The Houston Oilers didn't use the term "interim" when they promoted defensive coordinator Jeff Fisher to replace fired head coach Jack Pardee. But his contract isn't etched in stone, either. Fisher, 36, agreed to a three-year deal for almost $1 million, but the contract is at the club's option. "We felt we had the man on board to be the coach of the Oilers for some years to come," owner Bud Adams said yesterday in announcing the staff shakeup that also included the dismissal of assistant head coach Kevin Gilbride.

INDIANAPOLIS fired head coach Jim Caldwell yesterday, a little more than 2 weeks after the Colts' worst season in 2 decades. "This is obviously a big transitional time for us, but I know we're excited moving forward and it's hard when you say goodbyes to some people," team owner Jim Irsay said. "But it's part of the business. " The day after a season-ending loss at Jacksonville assured Indy of the No. 1 draft pick in April with a 2-14 mark, Irsay fired team vice chairman Bill Polian, the architect of the Colts' success, and his son, Chris, the handpicked general manager.

Strath Haven's bid for an unprecedented third straight PIAA Class AAA state boys' soccer championship was thwarted in the clammy gloom of HersheyPark Stadium yesterday. Coughlin knocked off the Panthers, 4-3, in the state quarterfinals. The Panthers (21-3-2) had much the better of the play but missed on several chances right at the Crusaders' doorstep. "It's a great win against a top-notch program," said Coughlin coach Barry Trievel. "We were very fortunate tonight. They may have controlled the ball, they may have controlled the game, but we stuck it in the back of the net more than they did. " The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Eric Chapman with 28 minutes, 16 seconds left in the first half.

  St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher said he had no idea assistant Gregg Williams had been running a bounty pool in New Orleans. Fisher delivered the news to Williams, now his defensive coordinator, on Wednesday that the franchise would be cutting ties for at least the 2012 season, under the assistant's indefinite suspension from the NFL for the bounty payments that he handed out with the Saints. "The severity of the suspension does not surprise us," Fisher said, who termed the suspension "warranted.

Now that the NFL has uncovered a big-money bounty program for players in New Orleans, it likely will zero in on other teams Gregg Williams worked for. That means the Titans, Redskins, Jaguars, and Bills probably should all expect to hear from the league soon. Williams has admitted and apologized for running a bounty pool of up to $50,000 over the last three seasons that rewarded players with thousand-dollar payoffs for knocking targeted opponents out of games while he was the Saints' defensive coordinator.

Jim Caldwell became the latest NFL coach to receive the terrible swift sword when Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay joined six other franchises in firing his head man during or after the 2012 season. Irsay had fired team vice chairman Bill Polian and his son, Chris, the team's general manager, the day after the season ended. Irsay last week hired 39-year-old Ryan Grigson, a former Eagles personel director, as his new general manager, then gave Grigson time to evaluate Caldwell.

INDIANAPOLIS fired head coach Jim Caldwell yesterday, a little more than 2 weeks after the Colts' worst season in 2 decades. "This is obviously a big transitional time for us, but I know we're excited moving forward and it's hard when you say goodbyes to some people," team owner Jim Irsay said. "But it's part of the business. " The day after a season-ending loss at Jacksonville assured Indy of the No. 1 draft pick in April with a 2-14 mark, Irsay fired team vice chairman Bill Polian, the architect of the Colts' success, and his son, Chris, the handpicked general manager.

Almost two weeks after they put away the pads, the St. Louis Rams picked up their third win of a dismal season. They prevailed in a high-stakes competition with the Miami Dolphins and landed Jeff Fisher for their vacant head coaching job. The team said Friday it was finalizing a deal to hire the veteran coach who sat out the 2011 season after 17 years in Tennessee. His long stint there included a Super Bowl matchup against the Rams in 2000 in which Tennessee fell 1 yard shy of forcing overtime in a 23-16 loss.

JEFF FISHER interviewed for the St. Louis Rams coaching job after previously meeting with the Dolphins. The Rams said yesterday that initial interviews are taking place in Denver, with owner Stan Kroenke an active participant. Kroenke's family also owns the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche. Kevin Demoff, the Rams chief operating officer, said earlier this week that Kroenke would be "heavily involved" in the search and added that the decision is "his call. " Unlike Steve Spagnuolo, who was fired Monday after going 10-38 over three seasons, Fisher offers the Rams plenty of head coaching experience.

The day after Black Monday was all about coaching as Miami intensified its pursuit of Jeff Fisher, Chicago fired everybody but Lovie Smith, and San Diego brought back Norv Turner. Fisher, the former Tennessee Titans coach, flew into Miami on owner Stephen Ross' helicopter, met with top team brass, and flew off several hours later. The Dolphins satisfied the NFL's Rooney rule requiring an interview with a minority candidate when they met Monday with interim coach Todd Bowles, the former Temple star.

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Rams fired coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney yesterday, 1 day after the team wrapped up the season tied for the NFL's worst record at 2-14. Rumors already are swirling that the Eagles may be interested in hiring Spagnuolo to replace defensive coordinator Juan Castillo. Spagnuolo was an assistant under longtime Eagles coordinator Jim Johnson and was defensive coordinator for the New York Giants when they beat Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots in the 2008 Super Bowl.

Ndamukong Suh will meet with NFL officials during his bye week to get a better understanding of the rules he's been breaking. Detroit's second-year defensive tackle asked commissioner Roger Goodell for the meeting to talk about all the flags he keeps drawing. The former Nebraska star will meet Tuesday with those NFL staffers responsible for enforcing the rules. The get-together will include football operations consultant Jeff Fisher , along with Ray Anderson , Merton Hanks , and Carl Johnson . Suh can bring along a coach if he wishes but has not yet said what he'll do.   Weird stat Entering Sunday's play, teams coming off a bye week were only 3-9. But the six teams which were off last weekend - Buffalo, Cincinnati, New England, the Giants, San Francisco, and the Eagles - went 5-1 as only the Patriots failed to win.   Welcome to Canada Buffalo played in Toronto for the fourth straight year and a drew a crowd of 51,579 in the 54,000-seat Rogers Centre (formerly the SkyDome)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Mike Heimerdinger, 58, a veteran assistant coach in the NFL who directed high-powered offenses and developed quarterbacks such as Steve McNair, Jay Cutler, and Vince Young, died Friday. The Tennessee Titans confirmed Mr. Heimerdinger's death after talking with his family. He died while in Mexico to receive experimental treatments for a rare form of cancer. He was offensive coordinator for the Titans when his cancer was diagnosed in November 2010. "Mike approached cancer with the same vigor and tenacity that he approached any football game - to win," Heimerdinger's wife, Kathie, said in a statement.