Jeff Fisher Takes Buyout, Ponders Options For Life After Tennessee Titans

The least messy aspect of Jeff Fisher's mutual separation from the Tennessee Titans may just be the buyout agreed upon by the two parties. Fisher had a year left on his contract and was told he'd be returning for the 2011 season earlier in the month, only to see the Titans reverse course and decided it was time for a change after 17 years together.

With every NFL head coaching job already filled, Fisher was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Because he still had a year left on his contract, however, he was entitled to money, though it's unlikely he'll get the full $6 million he was owed. According to the Tennessean's Jim Wyatt, the $8 million dollar figure floated earlier in the day was false, and that the buyout was half that, if not less.

For now, Fisher plans to relax and go fish, the same thing many NFL head coaches who get time off unexpectedly do. It's unlikely he'll be back on the sideline in 2011, either because it's too late in the game or because the Titans brokered a non-compete clause for the year.

Fisher will likely end up with a television gig for a year before throwing his hat into the ring for whatever spots open up ahead of the 2012 season.