Eric Dickerson Says He's Unwanted on Rams Sidelines Due to Criticism of Team | News, Scores, Highlig

"Someone with the Rams told me I'm not wanted on sidelines at games, that what I've said makes the players uncomfortable," Dickerson said Monday on his radio show.

"I'll never come to a Rams game as long as Jeff Fisher is the head coach," Dickerson added during an appearance on Fox Sports Radio's The Jason Smith Show.

Rams vice president of football operations Kevin Demoff would later respond on Twitter: "All Rams alumni, and especially Eric Dickerson, are always welcome at our games and practices." He added, "I have reached out to Eric to see where a miscommunication may have occurred & to clear up any confusion over his presence at games."

Dickerson spoke to Gary Klein and Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times regarding his conversation with Fisher, with the running back detailing what Fisher told him:

I see a 314 number calling in. So I get on the phone and say hello. He says, "Hey, Eric, this is Jeff Fisher." I said, "How you doing, Jeff?" He said, "I just wanted to call you. I want to tell you a few things here. I don't have time for this, but I'm going to tell you. You're not going to be talking about the football team, talking about our team, talking about my coaches, expecting to get things from this football team. We're not going to give you anything. We're not going to support you in anything. As long as I'm here as coach, we feel uncomfortable with you coming on the sideline. The players are uncomfortable with that. So as long as I'm head coach here, I'm just going to let you know it's not going to happen."

Fisher responded to the claim, per Zac Jackson of Pro Football Talk:

He's always welcomed, yeah. I'd welcome him in the building. I'd love to have him come in. I'd love to have him come to practice. I'd love to have him in come in the meetings. [Former Titans running back] Eddie George has been in my meetings more than [Eric] Dickerson has. I'd love to have him here.

Klein and Farmer also asked Fisher about their conversation with Dickerson and shared the head coach's response, which reads in part:

I had a discussion with Eric and it was brought to my attention Eric wanted some things from the organization and it was shortly after he had been critical of us, of me, of the players and of our quarterback coach.

And there's a natural conflict there. He has every right to be critical because we're all frustrated with the respect to the season and he has every right to comment and to be critical. But there’s a line that has to be respected, when you on one side criticize the organization and come back and ask the organization for something.

According to Michael Silver of NFL.com, Fisher isn't sure what happened between that conversation and now:

After the Nov. 17 conversation Dickerson texted Fisher to thank him for "being man enough to call me" and expressed his support...

So... what changed between that Nov. 17 text from Dickerson and yesterday? "I have no idea," Fisher told me.

Bleacher Report's Jason Cole reported on Tuesday the Rams are trying to mend the relationship: 

On SiriusXM NFL Radio earlier in November, the Hall of Famer argued the Rams wouldn't make the playoffs because of their poor offense (h/t Sporting News, via Yahoo Sports). He also questioned the credentials of quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke:

We have a quarterback coach — Chris Weinke — that's coaching our No. 1 pick that we traded all these draft picks for. Show me the proof. Show me what you've done. Show me your history. What history do you have of working with quarterbacks and developing quarterbacks?

Former Rams quarterback Jim Everett believes Fisher has misdirected his frustration:

@EricDickerson has a candid opinion. Proud of him 4 speaking. @RamsNFL has right to field passes. Fisher frustrated, & wrong focus. #MakeUp

Top draft pick Jared Goff, who made his NFL debut in Week 11, has produced 348 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception in two games, both losses.

Dickerson is one of the biggest stars in franchise history, earning four All-Pro nods in five seasons with the organization. He led the NFL in rushing three times during his tenure with the Rams, including a 2,105-yard campaign in 1984.

Rams need to straighten this out. Someone needs to apologize to @EricDickerson.

In 11 years in the league, Dickerson totaled 13,259 rushing yards and 90 touchdowns.

ncG1vNJzZmianJqupLTEq6meqJ%2BnwW%2BvzqZmmqqknrCtsdJoaW9vaGx%2FdHnEq6CcZZSesKyx0aymp2Wjlsa0eceeqmatnqyur8DEnWSopl2nrq6%2FjKygnZ2cnrumv4ydrJ5lpKR6pL7IraCcoaOierCyjK2cmqU%3D