Colorado State University Athletics
Steve Fairchild: Welcome Home
8/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Jeff Jacobson
Athletic Media Relations
Aug. 28, 2008
He may have taken a seven-year detour in the NFL, but Rams Head Coach Steve Fairchild finally made it home.
Spending eight years in the city as an assistant coach, and three more as a player, Fairchild has many reasons to call Fort Collins and Colorado State home. Studying for his bachelor's degree in economics at CSU, Fairchild met his wife Nancy through mutual friends. The relationship blossomed and the two tied the knot in Fort Collins and have been married for 26 years.
Fairchild quarterbacked the Rams as he earned his undergraduate degree, being named captain and full-time starter during his playing time. Following his days as a student-athlete, Fairchild helped lead the Rams to a combined 37-12 record during his eight combined seasons as both quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
With his most recent seasons spent with the Buffalo Bills, Fairchild served as offensive coordinator. Despite jumping at the opportunity to coach the Rams, being named head coach Dec. 12, he elected to honor his commitment to the NFL team, which at the time was vying for a playoff berth.
"That gets awfully hectic when you're trying to do two jobs and you're going in another direction," Fairchild told ESPN after accepting the job at CSU. "That was a very busy time, but I thought that was the right way to do it, rather than just run out of the NFL in midseason. That wouldn't have been the right thing to do."
But after the Bills' final game Dec. 30, Fairchild wasted no time, moving to his new home by the end of the week. However, it wasn't all fun and games for Fairchild as he was forced to make the 1,500-mile journey from New York to Colorado without his immediate family.
Still on an adventure through high school was Fairchild's youngest daughter, Jill. His wife and his other daughter, Lindsey, stayed in Buffalo until Jill's graduation, June 28. Although he did live with in-laws for a short while, Fairchild didn't want to overstay his welcome and decided to spend the final months before his family's arrival on his own.
"Spending six months away from my family was definitely difficult," Fairchild commented. "That was probably the hardest part of the transition, being away from them for a while."
But, with the change completed by early July, Fairchild and company were reunited in their current home, in southeast Fort Collins.
Spending time on a different campus is Lindsey. Currently studying for her bachelor's degree in kinesiology at the University of Arkansas, the senior plans to continue her education in physical therapy school after graduation. Jill lives on campus at CSU as she begins her first year as a college student, following in her father's footsteps.
Even with two busy college students, the Fairchilds still find time to do what they love most, spending time together. As they settle into their somewhat new surroundings, Fairchild and his wife relive past memories while, as a family, they start to create new ones.
"We have a lot of friends here and had some of the best times of our life here," Fairchild said of returning to Fort Collins. "And once the opportunity to return became more than just a dream, it sure felt right."
As the dream becomes a reality, Fairchild has no plans of moving on anytime soon.
"I'm going to stay at Colorado State as long as they'll have me," he said.
And if the saying is true that past performance predicts future performance, he can call Colorado State home, for good.
