Zorn named Redskins head coach

Wow. Two weeks after being hired as the Redskins offensive coordinator, former Seahawks quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn was named Washington's head coach Saturday.

Here's the release from the Redskins:

JIM ZORN NAMED WASHINGTON REDSKINS HEAD COACH

ASBURN, VA. -- Jim Zorn, a veteran coach of 20 years and a renowned former NFL quarterback, today was named Head Coach of the Washington Redskins, succeeding Hall of Fame Coach Joe Gibbs, who retired Jan. 8.

"I've always dreamed of being a head coach with a franchise rich in tradition like the Redskins," Zorn said. "As a player who had to fight Redskins teams at RFK as well as at our home field, I know about the history of this franchise as well as the passion of its fans. I won't let you down."

"We are proud that our search was diligent, thorough, and resulted in today's announcement," said team Owner Daniel M. Snyder. "Jim's track record and reputation as a player, great teacher, and as a coach makes us confident that they will translate to success for the Redskins."

Zorn, who signed a five-year contract with the team, spent seven seasons as quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks under coach Mike Holmgren, where they shared in playoff trips for the past five seasons and one Super Bowl appearance.

Zorn said he was excited about working with the Redskins from the first moment the team contacted him.

"I know about the history and great fans of the Redskins. I played against the Redskins. I played against our two newest Hall of Famers, Art Monk and Darrell Green," Zorn said. "I, like all Redskins fans, am a long-time admirer of Joe Gibbs. Thanks to him, today's Redskins have a solid foundation that will serve us well. I expect great things of our team, and hold myself accountable for providing the leadership to make us successful."

Zorn broke into the National Football League in 1976 as the first quarterback for the expansion Seahawks, starting all 14 games and earning Rookie of the Year honors. He went on to play nine seasons for the team, then one year each with the Green Bay Packers, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before retiring in 1987.

Zorn is one of only eight men in the Seahawks' Ring of Honor.

"Playing experience like Jim's is an enormous advantage for a head coach," said Gibbs. "Every move he makes, every play he calls, is based on the foundation of having actually played in real time and in the face of real opponents. You can't learn that on the sidelines or in the classroom.

"Dan and Vinny worked extremely hard on this process, and their research and diligence paid off after many long nights and hard hours. They're to be congratulated for that," Gibbs said.

The Redskins began their search for a new coach on Jan. 9, following Gibbs' decision to retire. Snyder, executive vice president for football operations Vinny Cerrato, and other team officials evaluated more than 50 potential candidates for the head coaching job over two days and selected 10 for interviews, which began Jan. 10.

"We knew of Jim's stellar offensive reputation, so we hired him as coordinator, but we also suspected he would be a strong candidate for head coach," Snyder said. "After our first six-hour interview with him, I told Joe (Gibbs), 'This guy would make a terrific head coach.'

"But we stayed true to our commitment to interview every candidate. That took longer than expected because the Giants kept moving through the playoffs. Once we completed our interview with Steve Spagnuolo and concluded a day of discussion about all candidates, I called Jim and asked him to meet for lunch," Snyder continued. "I told him we were considering him as the next head coach, and asked if he wanted to move forward. Without hesitation he said 'absolutely,' and that's all I needed to hear."

Zorn began his NFL coaching career following nine years as a quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator at Boise State, Utah State and the University of Minnesota. He joined the Seahawks in 1997 as an offensive assistant. The next season he moved to the Detroit Lions as quarterbacks coach, where he was instrumental in the development of rookie quarterback Charlie Batch. In his rookie season, Batch's 88.3 passer rating ranks as the fourth-highest rookie mark in NFL history.

Holmgren brought Zorn to the Seahawks as quarterbacks coach in 2001, where he coached current Seahawk quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, Trent Dilfer and Brock Huard.

Zorn, 54, and his wife Joy have four children: Rachel, Sarah, Danielle, and a son, Isaac. Rachel is married to Neal Mitchell, and they have a one-month old daughter Hollis Joy.

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