Jim Zorn

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Jim Zorn
Zorn during his coaching tenure with the Seahawks.
Position(s):
Quarterback
Jersey #(s):
10
Born: May 10, 1953 (1953-05-10) (age 55)
Whittier, California
Career Information
Year(s): 19761987
Undrafted in 1976
College: Cal Poly-Pomona
Professional Teams
Playing career

Coaching career

Career Stats
TD-INT     111-141
Yards     21,115
QB Rating     67.3
Stats at NFL.com
Career Highlights and Awards

James Arthur "Jim" Zorn (born May 10, 1953 in Whittier, California, USA), is the current American football head coach of the Washington Redskins, and a former quarterback of the National Football League. Zorn was a left-handed quarterback, and is best known as the youthful and charismatic leader of the expansion Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) for their first seven and a half seasons. He was the quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks in the 2007 season. On February 9, 2008, the Washington Redskins named him their 27th head coach in the team's History.[1]

Contents

[edit] Playing career

Jim Zorn is closely associated with his favorite passing target, Hall of Fame wide receiver Steve Largent. Largent was the first Seahawk inducted into the team's "Ring of Honor" (1989), and Zorn was second (1991)[2]. Zorn was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year by the NFLPA following the team's inaugural 1976 season[3]. Zorn was also the Seahawks' team MVP, throwing for 12 touchdowns and rushing for 4 touchdowns.

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 the backup quarterback through the 1984 season.

Zorn then played a season with the Green Bay Packers (1985), another with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1986), and one final game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL strike. In the NFL, Zorn threw for 21,115 yards and 111 touchdowns, completing 53% of his passes. He also ran for another 17 touchdowns.[4]

[edit] College coaching career

After his playing career concluded, Zorn returned to college football as an assistant coach. His first stop was at Boise State University, where he was the quarterbacks coach from 1988–91. Zorn then served as the offensive coordinator for Utah State from 1992-94. From 1995-1996 Zorn coached the quarterbacks for the University of Minnesota.

[edit] Professional coaching career

Zorn moved up to the pro coaching ranks in 1997–98 as an offensive assistant for the Seahawks under Dennis Erickson and the next two years (1998–2000) as the quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions. He returned to the Seahawks in 2001 as their quarterbacks coach, and retained that position through the 2007 season.

[edit] Head coach of Washington Redskins

When Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs retired, Jim Zorn was hired as the team's new offensive coordinator. A few weeks later, on February 10, 2008, Zorn was made the Redskins new head coach[5]. He is the fourth head coach hired by owner Daniel Snyder since he bought the team in 1999.

[edit] Education

Zorn graduated from Gahr High School in Cerritos, California in 1971, and played college football at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Preceded by
First Starting Quarterback
Seattle Seahawks Starting Quarterback
1976–1982
Succeeded by
Dave Krieg
Preceded by
Lynn Dickey
Green Bay Packers Starting Quarterback
1985
Succeeded by
Randy Wright
Preceded by
Joe Gibbs
Washington Redskins Head Coach
2008 – present
Incumbent
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