Tuesday January 15, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessee Titans fired offensive
coordinator Norm Chow on Tuesday after a season of struggling to score
points and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Titans coach Jeff Fisher confirmed the dismissal in a short statement.
Chow, who had been on staff for three years, and other Titans officials
did not immediately return telephone messages left by The Associated Press.

But Fisher said the day after his Titans (10-6) lost an AFC wild-card
game to San Diego 17-6 that improving the offense was his top priority
this offseason. They ranked 21st overall in total offense and became the
first team with only nine touchdown passes to reach the playoffs in a
16-game season.

After a week of evaluating the team, Fisher told Chow he would not be
retained as offensive coordinator.

"I appreciate all of the hard work and contributions he made to the
organization during his time here, but I have decided to go in a
different direction and will start the process of finding a new
offensive coordinator," Fisher said in the statement.

ESPN first reported the firing.

Fisher lured Chow from the same post at USC to the NFL in 2005.

Chow, 61, told The Tennessean he was disappointed and didn't see the
firing coming. He said he thought he could help develop Vince Young, who
threw nearly twice as many interceptions as touchdowns this season.

"Obviously, Jeff didn't think that I could. I thought I was. That's the
thing. I don't know ... but it's going to take some patience," Chow told
the newspaper.

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