The Titans announced Wednesday that former Head Coaches Jeff Fisher and Bum Phillips and former General Manager Floyd Reese will be inducted into the team’s ring of honor this season.
Patrolling the sidelines for 16 seasons in Houston and Tennessee Fisher joined the Oilers in 1994 as Defensive Coordinator. He’d replace Jack Pardee as interim head coach in November of that year and be named his permanent replacement that offseason. After overseeing the team’s relocation to Tennessee Fisher led the newly renamed Titans to their lone AFC championship victory and Super Bowl appearance in 1999. He also guided them to a second AFC Championship appearance in 2002. Under Fisher, the Titans tied the St. Louis Rams for the most wins between 1999 and 2003 with 61 and Fisher remains the winningest coach in franchise history.
Joining the organization as defensive coordinator in 1974, Phillips took over as Head Coach and General Manager of the Oilers in 1975. He rebuilt a team that had suffered through 8 losing seasons and led them to back-to-back AFC championship game appearances vs the Steelers in 1978 and 1979 during the “Luv Ya Blue” era. His .608 winning percentage is the best for a coach with at least two full seasons.
Reese spent 21 years with the Oilers/Titans franchise starting as a linebackers coach in 1986. He moved to the front office in 1990 becoming the Assistant General Manager and was then promoted to GM in 1994 a role he held until 2006. Reese is winningest general manager in the team’s history with 11 playoff berths during his tenure constructing the early Titans teams of the late 90’s and early 2000’s that were so successful under Fisher’s guidance. Among the players Reese drafted: 2003 AP NFL co-MVP Steve McNair, Eddie George and Jevon Kearse.
Phillips will be honored September 26 during a game against the Colts, Fisher and Reese will be honored at a yet to be determined game during the season.
