St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher didn't appreciate ESPN's "unethical" and "manufactured" report about rookie Michael Sam's showering habits. Fisher blasted ESPN reporter Josina Anderson for her segment on Sam, accusing her of misleading players and acting an in unprofessional manner.
Anderson's report on Sam's showering habits in the locker room went too far, according to Fisher and many others.
"I'm extremely disappointed in her piece," Fisher told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday. "I think it's unethical. I think it's very, very unprofessional. Not only the piece itself, the content. The manner in which she did it."
Fisher also accused Anderson of manufacturing the story by contacting several Rams players on their personal time away from the facility and misleading them with her questions about Sam.
"Obviously she came in, in all likelihood to see if there was gonna be a roster move at the 75 cutdown as it relates to Mike Sam," Fisher said. "That didn't happen. But she needed to do something, and it's my understanding that she manufactured this story.
"She was out of line because she went and contacted several players on their personal time. Misled them with questions and then put this piece together."
Fisher added: "I'm disappointed for Mike. I'm disappointed for the players who she put in this position, and mostly I'm disappointed for her because she felt what she was doing was right - and it wasn't right."
ESPN on Wednesday said it regretted airing the report, and Fisher told the Post-Dispatch ESPN's head of production and programming, John Wildhack, called him to apologize personally.
It's unclear if Anderson ever apologized, but ESPN indicated she wouldn't be reprimanded for the report.
Anderson reported earlier in the week, per an anonymous Rams player, that Sam was "respecting (the players') space" in the locker room and was seemingly letting them shower first as to not make anybody feel uncomfortable.
