Tennessee Titans to add Floyd Reese, Jeff Fisher to Ring of Honor

Nashville, TN – At halftime of the Tennessee Titans-Houston Texans game, late Titans general manager Floyd Reese and former head coach Jeff Fisher will be formally inducted to the Titans Ring of Honor by Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk.

Many of the former players acquired by Reese and coached by Fisher will be in attendance, as the occasion coincides with Titans Alumni Weekend.

Reese and Fisher will join 15 other members of the Ring of Honor, including late Oilers head coach O.A. “Bum” Phillips, who was inducted earlier in the season during the Titans-Colts game (Sept. 26).

Reese passed away on August 21st after a battle with cancer. He was 73. His passing came a month after the organization announced its plans to honor him, along with Fisher and Phillips.

Upon the announcement, Reese issued this statement: “The way Amy explained it, this is one of the highest, if not the highest honor, that we could bestow on somebody that’s not in the NFL Hall of Fame. And so that kind of makes you realize that this is special. I know it is special too because there’s been so much time and effort that we put in – not just me, but Jeff, and everybody involved, I mean, for years and years and years. To have this come true for me is a special treat. It’s really an honor to go in with two guys that you were able to watch do their work, understand the kind of craft and effort they put into it, and see their success.”

Reese spent 21 seasons with the franchise from 1986 to 2006, first as a linebackers coach (1986–1989), then assistant general manager (1990–1993), and finally the general manager from 1994 to 2006. He was a part of 11 playoff seasons with the franchise.

During his time in the front office, the franchise drafted 19 future Pro Bowl players. As general manager, it was his call to select Titans greats such as Steve McNair, Eddie George, Derrick Mason, Jevon Kearse and Keith Bulluck. In addition to the draft, he exhausted all means to acquire future Pro Bowl players, claiming Frank Wycheck off waivers; trading for Kevin Carter; and signing free agents such as Craig Hentrich, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Kevin Mawae.

As general manager, Reese tallied a franchise-best 111 wins (106 regular season and five postseason), and the Titans advanced to two AFC championship games. Reese was the architect of the beloved Titans roster that advanced to Super Bowl XXXIV following the 1999 season. Of the 22 Titans starters in that game, 13 were drafted by Reese.

Reese was well known for his influence on the careers of many coaches and executives across the NFL and college football landscape, including Bill Belichick, Nick Saban and current Titans general manager Jon Robinson. Belichick credited him with being “one of the pioneer coaches in strength training at a time when strength coaches did not exist in the NFL.”

Reese is survived by his wife, Sally, sons Jeremy and Sean, and four grandchildren.

One of Reese’s first big decisions as general manager was to hire Fisher as head coach—first as interim head coach in 1994 and then the full-time head coach the following season. The duo led the franchise from Houston into Tennessee, paving the way for future generations. In 2021, the organization is commemorating its 25th season in the Volunteer State.

Fisher is the winningest coach in franchise history. He amassed 147 total victories (142 regular season and five postseason) from 1994 to 2010 and directed the Titans to their only Super Bowl appearance during the memorable 1999 playoff run.

In 16 full seasons at the helm, Fisher only had five losing records, and he is the only head coach in franchise history to win 13 games in a season—a mark he reached three times (1999, 2000, 2008). From 1999 to 2003, Tennessee’s 61 wins in the regular season and playoffs tied the St. Louis Rams’ total for the most in the NFL.

Hallmarks of Fisher’s teams included a strong running game and an attacking defense. Under Fisher, George became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, and the team’s defense in 2000 ranked first in yards allowed for the only time since the NFL/AFL merger (1970). From 1995 to 2010, Fisher’s teams ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing offense (123.0 yards/game) and fourth in rushing defense (101.0).

As the team moved from Houston to Tennessee in 1997, the team played in four different home stadiums over a four-year period. Fisher embraced the unofficial role of ambassador and salesman for NFL football to new fans. His efforts and connection with the community converted countless people to become Titans fans in the early years after the move.

The origins of the Titans Ring of Honor started with a team Hall of Fame induction in 1999, the team’s first year Nissan Stadium when seven initial members had their names displayed inside the seating bowl.

Tennessee Titans Ring Of Honor

When late Titans general manager Floyd Reese and former head coach Jeff Fisher are inducted into the Ring of Honor at Nissan Stadium this week, they will become the 16th and 17th individuals to receive the honor.

Earlier in 2021, former Oilers head coach Bum Phillips was posthumously added to the Ring of Honor.

Members of the Titans Ring of Honor: