If the Falcons win, Jeff Fisher will be tied for losingest coach in NFL history

The Falcons have been making history left and right in 2016, between Matt Bryant and Julio Jones breaking franchise records and Matt Ryan breaking an NFL one. They have a chance to help their opponent make a little history this weekend, which is a very noble and honorable sort of thing to try to do.

If Jeff Fisher’s Rams lose to Atlanta, Fisher will tie former Falcons head coach Dan Reeves for the most losses in NFL history, a staggering 165. That’s ten 0-16 seasons in a row plus another five losses, if you were to string them end to end, which is probably what it feels like for Rams fans right now anyways. Fisher has coasted for a long time, and reportedly has received a two year contract extension from the team, as well.

The Rams, of course, are an objectively bad team. Jared Goff might have a bright future, Todd Gurley almost certainly does, and there’s still enough talent on this defense to make you think they can be better on a weekly basis, but they’ve never put it together under Fisher, and I’m dubious that they ever will.

Perversely, you have to have a track record of success in the NFL to hang around and pile up as many losses as Reeves did and Fisher has. For Reeves, it was an incredible five Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl wins; for Fisher, it’s a single Super Bowl appearance he lost in. Clearly Reeves deserved his long and windy career, while Fisher probably doesn’t have too many more seasons to prove he’s not a mediocre coach.

Let’s hope the Falcons can give Fisher a nudge toward Reeves on Sunday.