Los Angeles Rams sign head coach Jeff Fisher to contract extension

Mired in another losing season and mixed up in an off-field snit with former Rams great Eric Dickerson did not prevent management in Los Angeles from handing head coach Jeff Fisher a contract extension.

The deal was agreed to in the preseason and signed during the season, according NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and confirmed by ESPN.

The contract includes a team option for the Rams, who still could part ways with Fisher after the season and owe him only one year of salary.

Rams general manager Les Snead also signed an extension beyond 2017, according to the reports.

Fisher, who entered the season in the final year of his deal, helped with the transition as the team moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles during the offseason.

In his first four seasons with the Rams, the 58-year-old Fisher led the team to records of 7-8-1, 7-9, 6-10, and 7-9. The Rams currently sit at 4-7, giving Fisher an overall record 31-43-1 his four-plus seasons with the Rams.

In 22 seasons as an NFL head coach with the Tennessee Titans and Rams, Fisher led his teams to the playoffs just six seasons, including getting the Titans to the Super Bowl before losing to St. Louis in 2000.

Fisher is 173-163-1 in his career, and his 163 losses are second-most in NFL history among head coaches. He is three defeats away from setting the all-time record for most career losses by an NFL coach, held by Dan Reeves at 162.

Rams executive vice president of football operations and chief operating officer Kevin Demoff said last week it is not fair to judge Fisher only on the team's record.

Fisher got into a public spat with Dickerson over the former star's criticism of the Rams on his local radio show.

The 56-year-old Dickerson, the Los Angeles Rams legendary running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer, still has a problem with Fisher despite meeting with Demoff on Thursday.

Dickerson earlier said Fisher called him after he requested sideline passes to an upcoming game, and the coach threatened to withhold the passes if he didn't let up on the criticism.

As a result, Dickerson said he will not attend a Rams home game as long as Fisher is the coach. Fisher later offered an olive branch by saying Dickerson is still welcome at Rams games.