By Jim Gehman, Player Engagement Insider
Granted, it’s aided by, well, let’s call it a memorable tune, but the Walt Disney Company isn’t alone in believing that it’s a small world after all. The NFL is convinced, as well.
In 1989, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Texas All-America linebacker Britt Hager. His defensive coordinator was Jeff Fisher.
In 2015, the then-St. Louis Rams (now Los Angeles) drafted Baylor All-America linebacker Bryce Hager. His head coach is the same Jeff Fisher.
It’s a small, small world.
“I was excited for being drafted, and then after the fact that it was Coach Fisher,” Bryce said. “And then all that stuff started coming into reality. That was my dad’s first year with the Eagles and Coach Fisher, so it was pretty cool my first year coming in with Coach Fisher as the head coach. It was a cool connection.”
A couple days after his son was chosen in the seventh round by the Rams, Britt received a telephone call from Fisher.
“It was great because kind of how it all came about,” said Britt, who played for the Rams in 1997, following six seasons with the Eagles and two with the Denver Broncos. “You talk a little bit about the process. Most of the coaches, they’ll say, ‘I don’t know who’s coming out or what’s going on in college. We start getting with our scouts after the season because we’re busy with our football during the year.’ They don’t pay a whole lot of attention.
“He saw Bryce’s name when the evaluations came up, and saw the rating that he’s a pretty good football player, which he is. So they had the opportunity. (Fisher) didn’t think he’d be down there that low, but when he was, he was happy.
“It’s interesting because it’s the first second-generation father-son to play on the Rams.”
Fisher and the elder Hager are not the only connection among the Rams coaching staff. Britt and assistant defensive line coach Clyde Simmons were teammates for five seasons in Philadelphia.
“He really enjoyed playing with my dad and my dad really enjoyed playing with Clyde,” Bryce said. “Clyde kind of said something. ‘Oh, you look like your dad. You remind me of your dad.’ Anytime I hear something like that it’s just a huge compliment.
“And also, Frank Bush, my linebacker coach, was my dad’s linebacker coach in Denver. So there’s another connection. It’s pretty cool that those guys who coached my dad also get the opportunity to coach his son. I think it’s really cool how coaching works like that, how the NFL works like that.”
Britt and his wife, Bridgette, make their home in Austin, Texas, and make it to as many of Bryce’s games as they can.
“St. Louis was a little bit easier trip from Austin last year, and so they made it to pretty much every home game,” Bryce said. “This year, they made it to the opener and hopefully they can make it out to L.A. a little bit more. But I have a younger brother (Breckyn) playing (linebacker at the University of) Texas. He plays on Saturday and then we play on Sunday, so they do a lot of traveling.
“All of the away games, they watch on TV. They do a really good job of trying to make sure they don’t miss anything.”
And when Bryce says “don’t miss anything,” he means it.
“After every game, my dad is one of the first people I call,” Bryce said. “He’ll tell me what I did well and what I need to work on. We pretty much see eye-to-eye on most of the things that happened. And what I think I messed up on, that’s usually the first thing he points out. Usually he’s spot-on on everything. He knows what he’s talking about. It’s pretty cool to have him as a mentor.
“I’ve been talking with him about football my whole life – from Pop Warner all the way to now. I owe a lot to him. I give him a huge amount of credit. [And probably the best piece of advice he has given me about playing in the NFL is to] enjoy it because it doesn’t last long. Just try to take every day and not take it for granted. Just enjoy every day I’m out here and be thankful.”