Jim Zorn
Encyclopedia
James Arthur "Jim" Zorn (born May 10, 1952) is an American quarterbacks coach
in the National Football League
. He was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens
and now holds that same position with the Kansas City Chiefs
. Zorn was a left-handed quarterback
, and is best known as the youthful and charismatic leader of the (then-expansion) Seattle Seahawks
of the NFL, for their first seven-and-a-half seasons. He was the quarterbacks coach
for the Seattle Seahawks
in the 2007 season. He was hired by the Redskins to be their head coach starting with the 2008 season and remained head coach until being fired in the early morning of January 4, 2010, the day after the final game of his second season as coach. Shortly thereafter, Zorn was hired as quarterbacks coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Zorn was released as quarterbacks coach of the Ravens on January 27, 2011. Zorn was added to the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff as their new quarterbacks coach on February 15, 2011.
in Cerritos, California
in 1971, and played college football
at Cal Poly Pomona
for the Broncos
.
and he was demoted to second-string quarterback midway through the 1983 season. He held second-string/backup quarterback positions with the Seahawks (1983–84), the Packers (1985), the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (1986), and the Buccaneers (1987), before retiring following the 1987 NFL season.
wide receiver
Steve Largent
. Largent was the first Seahawk inducted into the team's "Ring of Honor" (1989), and Zorn was second (1991). Zorn was named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year by the National Football League Players Association following the team's inaugural 1976 season. He was also the Seahawks' team MVP
, throwing for 12 touchdowns and rushing for four touchdowns. His three consecutive 3,000-yard seasons were tops in team history, since broken by Matt Hasselbeck
in 2005, and he was the first Seattle quarterback to record back-to-back 300-plus yard games—a feat he accomplished twice.
He was succeeded by Dave Krieg
midway through the 1983
season, the year the Seahawks first made the NFL playoffs. Zorn stayed with the team as a second-string quarterback until the end of the 1984
season.
Zorn was well known as one of the more prolific scrambling quarterbacks of his day. The excitement of his style of play is what kept fans coming back to the Kingdome again and again. Many people reverently referred to him as "the left-handed Fran Tarkenton
."
signed Zorn to the second-string quarterback position in 1985. The Packers finished the season 8–8, 2nd in the NFC Central, but not enough to make the playoffs. The Packers released Zorn in the 1985-86 NFL off-season. Zorn decided to take a season off from the NFL and signed on to a backup quarterback position with the CFL
's Winnipeg Blue Bombers
in 1986, where he played one game before leaving the team and being released once again.
. He signed on with his third NFL team (fourth overall), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He managed to play one final game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL strike before officially retiring. The 1987 Bucs finished the season 4-11, missing the playoffs. In the NFL, Zorn threw for 21,115 yards and 111 touchdowns, completing 53% of his passes. He also ran for another 17 touchdowns.
as an assistant coach. His first stop was at Boise State University
, where he was the quarterbacks coach from 1988–91. He then served as the offensive coordinator for Utah State
from 1992–94. From 1995–1996 Zorn coached the quarterbacks for the University of Minnesota
.
as quarterbacks coach after serving in the same capacity with the Detroit Lions
(1998–2000). He was instrumental in the development of rookie quarterback Charlie Batch
in 1998. Batch’s 88.3 passer rating that season ranks as the fourth-highest rookie mark in NFL history. During his time in Seattle, Zorn worked with Seahawks Head Coach Mike Holmgren
and Offensive Coordinator Gil Haskell
in implementing the team’s offense while also furthering the development of the team’s quarterbacks.
In 2003, Zorn tutored Matt Hasselbeck
who set a franchise record with 3,841 passing yards in. Hasselbeck has become the franchise’s most-efficient passer (85.1 rating) while joining Zorn as the only Seahawks’ quarterback to pass for 3,000-plus yards in three consecutive seasons. In 2007 under Zorn, Hasselbeck set Seattle single-season marks for attempts (562), completions (352) and yards (3,966). He also threw for a career-high 28 touchdowns en route to his third Pro Bowl
selection. On January 30, 2010 Zorn was hired by the Baltimore Ravens
as their quarterbacks coach, to replace Hue Jackson
, who had departed to the Oakland Raiders
.
Under Zorn, quarterback Joe Flacco
reached career high totals in touchdowns (25) and quarterback rating (93.6), as well as a career-low 10 interceptions.
On January 27, 2011, Zorn was fired by the Ravens.
On February 15, 2011 he was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs as their Quarterbacks coach.
retired in January 2008, owner Daniel Snyder
hired Zorn as the team's new offensive coordinator. On February 10, 2008, Snyder made him the Redskins' new head coach. Zorn proceeded to embarrass himself and the Redskins by saying he was happy to be a part of the "Maroon and Black," he was referring to the Redskins colors, the problem is the Redskins colors are burgundy and gold. He was the fourth head coach hired by Snyder since he bought the team in 1999. Zorn earned his first professional coaching victory with a 29–24 win over the New Orleans Saints
in week 2 of the 2008 NFL season. In week 4 of the 2008 season, Zorn became the first Redskins head coach to win his first game at Texas Stadium
against the rival Dallas Cowboys
since George Allen during the 1971 season.
Zorn complemented the Redskins’ bruising running attack with his version of the West Coast Offense
, a combination that helped the Redskins finish eighth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (130.9). After the first half of the regular season, in which the team finished 6-2, Redskin Nation got "Horny for Zorny." Zorn and the team proceeded to implode and finish 8-8, making the season a huge disappointment. However Zorn’s new offense produced four starters who earned Pro Bowl honors. Running back Clinton Portis
, finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,487). DurinTight end Chris Cooley earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance and led the team with a career-high 83 receptions for 849 yards. Offensive Tackle Chris Samuels
earned his sixth Pro Bowl appearance—marking the third-most in franchise history, while fullback Mike Sellers earned his first Pro Bowl selection in his eighth NFL season.
Six games into the 2009 season, with a record of two wins and four losses, the Washington Redskins relieved Zorn of offensive play calling duties, assigning them to assistant coach Sherman Lewis
following the Redskins' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
on October 18.
In the early morning of January 4, 2010, it was reported that Zorn had been fired after the final game of the regular season, a loss to the San Diego Chargers
. He failed to make the playoffs in either of his seasons as head coach of the Redskins. He was replaced by former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan
. Jim Zorn has since given a series of interviews with the local Washington, DC networks in which he expressed disappointment in the circumstances, but support for Redskins owner Dan Snyder and the team.
Zorn is noted for his interest in mountain biking, kayaking and other outdoor sports. He has continued to mountain bike even as he approaches the age of 60. When he was a player with the Seattle Seahawks, he experimented with building bikes for off-road riding with the help of the owner of Mercer Island Cyclery.
Zorn was inducted into the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony prior to Washington’s game at Seattle on November 23, 2008.
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was formerly the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
and now holds that same position with the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. Zorn was a left-handed quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and is best known as the youthful and charismatic leader of the (then-expansion) Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the NFL, for their first seven-and-a-half seasons. He was the quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in the 2007 season. He was hired by the Redskins to be their head coach starting with the 2008 season and remained head coach until being fired in the early morning of January 4, 2010, the day after the final game of his second season as coach. Shortly thereafter, Zorn was hired as quarterbacks coach of the Baltimore Ravens. Zorn was released as quarterbacks coach of the Ravens on January 27, 2011. Zorn was added to the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff as their new quarterbacks coach on February 15, 2011.
Early life
Zorn graduated from Gahr High SchoolGahr High School
Richard Gahr High School, often simply known as Gahr High School, is a public school in Cerritos, California, serving grades 9-12. Gahr High is part of the ABC Unified School District....
in Cerritos, California
Cerritos, California
Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...
in 1971, and played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Cal Poly Pomona
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, or Cal Poly Pomona, is a public university located in Pomona, California, United States...
for the Broncos
Cal Poly Pomona Broncos
The Cal Poly Pomona Broncos or Cal Poly Broncos are the athletic sports team for the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona . Cal Poly Pomona has 12 varsity sports teams and offers student participation in a wide range of sports including soccer, volleyball, track and field, basketball, ...
.
Professional career (1976–87)
He was a star starting QB for the Seahawks in their early days from 1976–83, before his position was taken by Dave KriegDave Krieg
David Michael Krieg is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He attended Milton College and made the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent...
and he was demoted to second-string quarterback midway through the 1983 season. He held second-string/backup quarterback positions with the Seahawks (1983–84), the Packers (1985), the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (1986), and the Buccaneers (1987), before retiring following the 1987 NFL season.
Seattle Seahawks (1976–84)
Zorn is closely associated with his favorite passing target, Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Steve Largent
Steve Largent
Steven Michael "Steve" Largent is a retired American football player, enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and a former U.S. Congressman, having served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma from 1994 until 2002...
. Largent was the first Seahawk inducted into the team's "Ring of Honor" (1989), and Zorn was second (1991). Zorn was named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year by the National Football League Players Association following the team's inaugural 1976 season. He was also the Seahawks' team MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
, throwing for 12 touchdowns and rushing for four touchdowns. His three consecutive 3,000-yard seasons were tops in team history, since broken by Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
in 2005, and he was the first Seattle quarterback to record back-to-back 300-plus yard games—a feat he accomplished twice.
He was succeeded by Dave Krieg
Dave Krieg
David Michael Krieg is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He attended Milton College and made the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent...
midway through the 1983
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
season, the year the Seahawks first made the NFL playoffs. Zorn stayed with the team as a second-string quarterback until the end of the 1984
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
season.
Zorn was well known as one of the more prolific scrambling quarterbacks of his day. The excitement of his style of play is what kept fans coming back to the Kingdome again and again. Many people reverently referred to him as "the left-handed Fran Tarkenton
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
."
Green Bay Packers and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1985–86)
The Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
signed Zorn to the second-string quarterback position in 1985. The Packers finished the season 8–8, 2nd in the NFC Central, but not enough to make the playoffs. The Packers released Zorn in the 1985-86 NFL off-season. Zorn decided to take a season off from the NFL and signed on to a backup quarterback position with the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
in 1986, where he played one game before leaving the team and being released once again.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Retirement (1987)
In 1987, Zorn decided to come back to the NFL after only one season with the Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
. He signed on with his third NFL team (fourth overall), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He managed to play one final game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL strike before officially retiring. The 1987 Bucs finished the season 4-11, missing the playoffs. In the NFL, Zorn threw for 21,115 yards and 111 touchdowns, completing 53% of his passes. He also ran for another 17 touchdowns.
College coaching career (1988–96)
After his playing career concluded, Zorn returned to college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as an assistant coach. His first stop was at Boise State University
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
, where he was the quarterbacks coach from 1988–91. He then served as the offensive coordinator for Utah State
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
from 1992–94. From 1995–1996 Zorn coached the quarterbacks for the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
.
Professional assistant coaching career (1997–2007; 2010–present)
Zorn moved up to the pro coaching ranks in 1997. Zorn joined the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
as quarterbacks coach after serving in the same capacity with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1998–2000). He was instrumental in the development of rookie quarterback Charlie Batch
Charlie Batch
Charles "Charlie" Batch is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
in 1998. Batch’s 88.3 passer rating that season ranks as the fourth-highest rookie mark in NFL history. During his time in Seattle, Zorn worked with Seahawks Head Coach Mike Holmgren
Mike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
and Offensive Coordinator Gil Haskell
Gil Haskell
Gil Haskell is a long time NFL coach and the former Offensive Coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks. He began his career in the NFL as a ball boy with the San Francisco 49ers while his uncle Dr. William O’Grady was a part owner of the franchise. Coach Haskell grew up in St. Brendan's Parish in San...
in implementing the team’s offense while also furthering the development of the team’s quarterbacks.
In 2003, Zorn tutored Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
who set a franchise record with 3,841 passing yards in. Hasselbeck has become the franchise’s most-efficient passer (85.1 rating) while joining Zorn as the only Seahawks’ quarterback to pass for 3,000-plus yards in three consecutive seasons. In 2007 under Zorn, Hasselbeck set Seattle single-season marks for attempts (562), completions (352) and yards (3,966). He also threw for a career-high 28 touchdowns en route to his third Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection. On January 30, 2010 Zorn was hired by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
as their quarterbacks coach, to replace Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson is an American football coach who is currently head coach of the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League after previously serving as the team's offensive coordinator in 2010....
, who had departed to the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Under Zorn, quarterback Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
reached career high totals in touchdowns (25) and quarterback rating (93.6), as well as a career-low 10 interceptions.
On January 27, 2011, Zorn was fired by the Ravens.
On February 15, 2011 he was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs as their Quarterbacks coach.
Professional head coaching (2008–2009)
After Washington Redskins head coach Joe GibbsJoe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
retired in January 2008, owner Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
hired Zorn as the team's new offensive coordinator. On February 10, 2008, Snyder made him the Redskins' new head coach. Zorn proceeded to embarrass himself and the Redskins by saying he was happy to be a part of the "Maroon and Black," he was referring to the Redskins colors, the problem is the Redskins colors are burgundy and gold. He was the fourth head coach hired by Snyder since he bought the team in 1999. Zorn earned his first professional coaching victory with a 29–24 win over the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in week 2 of the 2008 NFL season. In week 4 of the 2008 season, Zorn became the first Redskins head coach to win his first game at Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
against the rival Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
since George Allen during the 1971 season.
Zorn complemented the Redskins’ bruising running attack with his version of the West Coast Offense
West Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
, a combination that helped the Redskins finish eighth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (130.9). After the first half of the regular season, in which the team finished 6-2, Redskin Nation got "Horny for Zorny." Zorn and the team proceeded to implode and finish 8-8, making the season a huge disappointment. However Zorn’s new offense produced four starters who earned Pro Bowl honors. Running back Clinton Portis
Clinton Portis
Clinton Earl Portis is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
, finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,487). DurinTight end Chris Cooley earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance and led the team with a career-high 83 receptions for 849 yards. Offensive Tackle Chris Samuels
Chris Samuels
-Washington Redskins:Samuels immediately became the starting left tackle for the Redskins and has since been selected to six Pro Bowls. In 2000, Samuels was one of only four players on offense to start every game, joining Jon Jansen, Mark Fischer and Stephen Alexander. Samuels won co-Offensive...
earned his sixth Pro Bowl appearance—marking the third-most in franchise history, while fullback Mike Sellers earned his first Pro Bowl selection in his eighth NFL season.
Six games into the 2009 season, with a record of two wins and four losses, the Washington Redskins relieved Zorn of offensive play calling duties, assigning them to assistant coach Sherman Lewis
Sherman Lewis
Sherman Lewis , is an American football coach and former player, most recently an offensive consultant and offensive play-caller for the Washington Redskins of the NFL...
following the Redskins' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
on October 18.
In the early morning of January 4, 2010, it was reported that Zorn had been fired after the final game of the regular season, a loss to the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He failed to make the playoffs in either of his seasons as head coach of the Redskins. He was replaced by former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan
Mike Shanahan
Michael Edward "Mike" Shanahan is the 28th and current head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Shanahan also holds the title of Vice President of Football Operations with the Redskins, giving him full control over player personnel with the team. Shanahan previously...
. Jim Zorn has since given a series of interviews with the local Washington, DC networks in which he expressed disappointment in the circumstances, but support for Redskins owner Dan Snyder and the team.
Head coaching record (2008–2009)
| Team | |Regular Season | WAS 2008 Washington Redskins season The 2008 Washington Redskins season was the 76th season for the team in the National Football League. They failed to improve upon their 9-7 record from 2007... |
2008 2008 NFL season The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the... |
8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4th in NFC East | - | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WAS 2009 Washington Redskins season The 2009 Washington Redskins season is the 77th season for the team in the National Football League. They failed to improve upon their 8–8 record from 2008, which resulted in Jim Zorn being fired after two seasons.-Movement:... |
2009 2009 NFL season The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at... |
4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 4th in NFC East | - | - | - | Fired | ||
| Total | 12 | 20 | 0 | .375 | - | - | - | - | ||||
Coaching tree
NFL head coaches under whom Jim Zorn has served:- Dennis EricksonDennis EricksonDennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
, Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
(1997–1998) - Bobby RossBobby RossRobert Joseph Ross is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at The Citadel , the University of Maryland, College Park , the Georgia Institute of Technology , and the United States Military Academy , compiling a career college football record of 103–101–2...
, Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1999–2000) - Mike HolmgrenMike HolmgrenMichael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
, Seattle Seahawks (2001–2007) - John Harbaugh, Baltimore RavensBaltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
(2010) - Todd HaleyTodd HaleyTodd Haley is the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League . Prior to joining the Chiefs, Haley served as the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator from 2007 to 2008, and was the wide receivers coach for the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and Dallas Cowboys.-Early...
, Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
(2011)
Personal life
Zorn and his wife, Joy, have four children: daughters Rachael, Sarah, and Danielle and son Isaac.Merrill, Elizabeth. "Zorn doesn't play by conventional rules." ESPN.com. July 14, 2009. Jim and Joy Zorn are active in Medical Teams International and Pro Athletes Outreach. Medical Teams International is dedicated to implementing and supporting programs that address the causes and effects inadequate of health care worldwide.Zorn is noted for his interest in mountain biking, kayaking and other outdoor sports. He has continued to mountain bike even as he approaches the age of 60. When he was a player with the Seattle Seahawks, he experimented with building bikes for off-road riding with the help of the owner of Mercer Island Cyclery.
Zorn was inducted into the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame during a pregame ceremony prior to Washington’s game at Seattle on November 23, 2008.
External links
- Pro-Football-Reference.com – career statistics - Jim Zorn
- Pro-Football-Reference.com – career coaching statistics - Jim Zorn