Eric William Fisher (born January 5, 1991) is an American football offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Chiefs first overall in the 2013 NFL Draft. He played college football at Central Michigan University.
Early years
A native of Rochester, Michigan, Fisher attended Stoney Creek High School, where he was an All-State honorable mention lineman for the football team. Regarded as a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was not ranked among the best offensive tackle prospects in his class. He was undersized for an offensive tackle during high school only weighing 230 pounds according to Fisher.
College career
Fisher played at Central Michigan University from 2009 to 2012 where he was recognized as a first-team All-American by Pro Football Weekly, a second-team selection by Sports Illustrated, and received third-team honors from the Associated Press. He was also a first-team All-Mid-American Conference (MAC) selection. Fisher was a part of two bowl wins while at Central Michigan; the 2010 GMAC Bowl and the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
Professional career
Fisher was widely considered one of the top 32 players available in the 2013 NFL Draft and one of the top offensive tackles. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the first overall pick, becoming the first MAC player to be drafted No. 1 overall. He joins Joe Staley as the only Central Michigan players ever to be selected in the first round of an NFL Draft.
On July 26, 2013, Fisher signed a guaranteed contract with the Chiefs worth $22.1 million with a $14.5 million signing bonus. Despite playing left tackle during college, Fisher transitioned to right tackle for the 2013 season. He allowed 7 sacks and 35 hurries. According to Pro Football Focus, his run-blocking grade of -6.5 ranked 55th out of 76 NFL tackles who played at least 25 percent of their team's snaps. His overall grade as a tackle ranked 70th. Despite Fisher's struggles during his rookie season, Chiefs general manager John Dorsey noted Fisher's potential and expressed confidence that he would develop into a good player. Fisher played in 14 games, of which he started 13, during his rookie year of 2013.
In March 2014, head coach Andy Reid announced that he was moving Fisher to the left tackle position for the upcoming 2014 season, following the loss of Branden Albert in free agency. During the 2015 season, Fisher played in 16 games, starting in 14.
On May 2, 2016, the Chiefs picked up the fifth-year option Fisher's contract. On July 30, 2016, Fisher signed a four-year contract extension with the Chiefs worth $48 million, including $40 million guaranteed. In Week 1, after a strong performance, Pro Football Focus ranked Fisher as the number one left tackle of the week. In the divisional round of the 2016 playoffs against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chiefs were down 18-10 in the 4th quarter. Following a successful two-point conversion, Fisher was called on a holding penalty which resulted in a loss of 10 yards. On the second attempt from the Steelers' 12-yard line, the Chiefs failed the two-point conversion, resulting in their elimination from the playoffs as they lost to the Steelers by a score of 18-16.
References
External links
- Central Michigan Chippewas bio
- Kansas City Chiefs profile
- ESPN Profile
- Pro Football Reference Profile
