A knowledgeable source told me last week that Titans coach Jeff Fisher’s job security isn’t all that assured. I was surprised too, but my source was insistent. Despite a perception that Fisher is one of the best in the business, a look at his record shows that he’s also remarkably inconsistent. He’s had only six winning seasons in 16 years in Tennessee, meaning he’s had more losing than winning seasons. While he has an enviable .542 winning percentage compared to a league-wide .492 in the salary cap era, the aftershock of one of the most lopsided beatings in NFL history, a 59-0 loss to New England, and an 0-6 start has to have both Fisher and Titans owner Bud Adams considering their options.

We’ve been down this road before, in 2006, when the Titans opened 0-5. Adams announced that he would not make any midseason coaching change, in part because Fisher would still be paid $2.5 million for the rest of the season. Adams reckoned he didn’t want to pay for anybody to sit on his sofa and earn that kind of money. Those 2006 Titans roared back to finish 8-8 under the leadership of Vince Young, saving Fisher, but general manager Floyd Reese paid for the letdown with his job.

Adams, however, has fired five previous coaches in midseason, including the man Fisher replaced, Jack Pardee, in 1994. Pardee was 1-9 for the then-Houston Oilers when Fisher was named interim head coach.

This year, without the departed DT Albert Haynesworth and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and with QB Kerry Collins set to turn 38 in December, there may not be another miracle for Fisher to pull out. And if my source is correct, it’s possible he may pay with his job. Although bet on Adams’ frugality to prevent any move until after the season.

Fisher has been both lucky and good enough to have followed bad seasons with good ones, although his winning years are limited to 1999 and 2000, 2002 and 2003 and 2007 and 2008. He is signed through the 2011 season, and his contract is believed to be worth about $6 million annually. With $12-13 million still owed and coming off a 13-3 record in 2009, Fisher may have at least one more year of security -- at least from a financial perspective -- and he’s generally made the most of these win-or-else situations. But much of his control over the franchise could be dramatically altered. Also, if Adams signed Fisher to a contract in which Adams is excused from payments in the event of a lockout, it could make Fisher more likely to be fired sooner rather than later as Adams might only be on the hook for a year’s salary rather than two.

Would Fisher, sensing the handwriting on the wall, seek to get out of Nashville on his own terms? Again, with Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan all on the market, Fisher might not find 2010 to be the best time to be a coaching free agent. And as my source said, it’s highly unlikely that somebody who’s owed as much money as Fisher is would take affirmative action to get out of town.

Instead, it would make financial sense to wait to be fired and deal with any repercussions from having been fired later with an extra $12 million or so in your pocket.