According to the NFL Network, former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher will become the eighth head coach of the St. Louis Rams since the franchise relocated to St. Louis in 1995.

Eight represents new beginnings, and that is precisely what this organization needed: a fresh start.  

The Rams went 15-65 over the last five years, the worst five year stretch in NFL history, and sought an experienced, proven winner.

Fisher, the single-most sought after head coach in the NFL this offseason, brings a career record of 142-120 and took his respective teams to the playoffs on six occasions in 16 full seasons with the Houston Oilers-Tennessee Titans organization. 

Individuals around the league assert that St. Louis owner Stan Kroenke's pursuit of Fisher shows that he is serious about winning in St. Louis.  

Fisher's best season came in 1999 when his Tennessee Titans went 13-3 and culminated with a trip to Super Bowl XXXIV before falling to Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and the then explosive St. Louis Rams. 

Fisher chose St. Louis over Miami after both organizations aggressively pursued him.

On Sunday, Fisher flew to St. Louis to tour the St. Louis Rams headquarters, the Russell Training Center, also known as Rams Park, in Earth City, Missouri and to meet with Sam Bradford, among other things. 

Apparently, the tour and meeting went well.

When the Rams introduce Fisher, it will be an exciting day for St. Louis fans amidst an offseason that promises to be extremely interesting and one of the more vital in St. Louis Rams history:

1. St. Louis fired Steve Spagnuolo and will now hire the proven and experienced Jeff Fisher.

2. The entire coaching staff will be replaced.

One specific assistant that may be targeted is New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who Fisher has deep ties to.

3. The Rams possess the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.  

With the new team-friendly rookie wage scale in place and potential franchise quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III available, St. Louis will have the opportunity to reap multiple premium picks and quickly retool the roster with elite building blocks via trade if they do not keep the second pick and grab a player like Justin Blackmon of Oklahoma State.

4. The all-important lease negotiations with the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Convention begin in earnest on February 1 and will be crucial to the team's long-term future in St. Louis.  

(For the latest on this from a Rams' perspective, click here.) 

However, for the moment, the singular focus for St. Louis fans is the impending addition of Jeff Fisher.

The Rams needed a proven head coach to come in and help stabilize the organization quickly.  Other organizations who have long-term winning traditions in place, like Pittsburgh, could afford to go with a coordinator, as they did successfully with Mike Tomlin.

However, considering the epic struggles of the Rams since the "greatest show on turf" era, Fisher was a necessary and perfect hire for St. Louis.

The Rams swung and missed with their last two hires, Scott Linehan and Steve Spagnuolo, who were both first-time head coaches.  

St. Louis could not afford the potential third whiff in a row and a strikeout by selecting another coordinator.  This was not the right time for such a move. 

In selective the fiery Fisher, St. Louis is adding a head coach with immense experience and a track record of success that adds instant credibility to the organization.  

The Rams could not afford to hire another head coach to learn on the job.  They needed one who had proven he could win there.   

And that's who they got in Jeff Fisher: a proven winner.  

The organization has stated that it's entire mission going forward is to build a winning tradition in and for St. Louis.  

Today, the organization took a big step towards that objective as both the NFL and St. Louis take notice. 

Fisher and the Rams will begin filling his coaching staff in the days ahead.  It will be interesting to watch that process, and the entire offseason, unfold.

Shane Gray covers the St. Louis Rams year round. To check out the rest of his work, go here.  You are also encouraged to follow him on Twitter.