May 1, 2022; Birmingham, AL, USA; Michigan Panthers head coach Jeff Fisher talks with injured quarterback Paxton Lynch during the first half at Protective Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
USFLBy Sean Keeley on

It was a tough first season for Jeff Fisher and the Michigan Panthers. Despite having the first pick in the 2022 USFL Draft, which they used on quarterback Shea Patterson, the team finished 2-8 on the year.

Thanks to a late rule change, they will actually get the first pick in the 2023 USFL Draft after defeating the 1-9 Pittsburgh Maulers in the final game of the regular season. Still, that’s small comfort given how poorly things went on the year.

Fisher was often mocked for finishing 7-9 or 8-8 in the NFL, something he did seven times with the Tennessee Titans and three times with the St. Louis Rams during his 22 seasons as a head coach there. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to do that in the USFL with a 1o-game schedule, but he ended up finishing far worse instead.

Fisher ended up making more headlines for his headwear and tone-deaf comments about Ron Rivera than anything that happened on the field.

Naturally, NFL and football fans are having some fun with Fisher’s finish. It’s hard to tell if the USFL will actually have a second season given the way it disappeared off the public radar after the first few weeks. But there’s just something about Fisher that makes people want to break out their best 7-9 jokes in situations like these.

[PFT]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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