Jim Zorn enters his second season with the Washington Redskins after being named the franchise’s 27th head coach on February 10, 2008.

The 2008 campaign marked Zorn’s first season as a head coach in the National Football League and he guided the Redskins to an 8-8 record in the competitive NFC East. Under Zorn, the Redskins recorded a pair of wins over the Philadelphia Eagles, who advanced to the NFC Championship, and an impressive victory over the eventual NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals.

Well-regarded around the NFL for his offensive acumen, Zorn was originally hired as the Redskins’ offensive coordinator on Jan. 26, 2008. He impressed Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Vinny Cerrato so much that, two weeks later, they decided to offer him the head coaching job.

Zorn made an instant impact in 2008 as the Redskins raced out to a 6-2 start, including consecutive road wins at Dallas and Philadelphia. 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). 

Under Zorn’s guidance, defensive coordinator Greg Blache oversaw a Redskins defensive unit that finished second in the NFC and fourth in the NFL in overall defense, limiting opponents to 288.8 yards per game. Washington also allowed the sixth fewest points per game (18.5) in the league in 2008.

Zorn’s new offense paid immediate dividends as four starters earned Pro Bowl honors. Running back Clinton Portis, who earned his second Pro Bowl selection and his first in five seasons with the Redskins, finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,487). Tight end Chris Cooley earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance and led the team with a career-high 83 receptions for 849 yards. 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.

Zorn, an NFL quarterback from 1976-87 and an NFL assistant coach for 11 years, has an approach that he describes as “constant and consistent” in terms of how he manages coaches and players. His Redskins team reflects his philosophy of playing smart, steady, and mistake-free football.

That was demonstrated early as the Redskins became the first team in NFL history to not record an offensive turnover in their first five games. Quarterback Jason Campbell was perhaps the greatest beneficiary of Zorn’s expertise with the quarterback position.

In his second season as starter, Campbell established career highs in completions (315), passing attempts (506), passing yards (3,245), touchdown passes (13) and passer rating (84.3).  Additionally, Campbell showed rapid improvement under Zorn in protecting the football as he finished first in the NFL in interception percentage (1.2), throwing just six interceptions in 506 passing attempts.

Zorn joined the Redskins from the Seattle Seahawks where he spent seven seasons (2001-07) as quarterbacks coach.

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.

Zorn tutored QB Matt Hasselbeck who set a franchise record with 3,841 passing yards in 2003. 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.

Zorn joined the Seahawks as quarterbacks coach after serving in the same capacity with the Detroit Lions (1998-00). 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.

Zorn broke into the NFL coaching ranks as an offensive assistant for the Seahawks in 1997.

Zorn spent eight seasons coaching in the collegiate ranks before his pro debut.  He spent two seasons (1995-96) as quarterbacks coach at the University of Minnesota and three seasons (1992-94) as the offensive coordinator at Utah State.  His first collegiate coaching job was as an offensive assistant/quarterbacks and wide receivers coach at Boise State from 1989-91.

His playing career began in the Seahawks’ inaugural 1976 season, when he started all 14 games at quarterback. He went on to play nine seasons for the Seahawks.

After departing Seattle, he finished his playing career with the Green Bay Packers (1985), the Canadian Football League’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1986) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987).

Zorn is one of only eight players inducted to the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor. He was named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year (1976) and ranks third in the Seahawks’ record book behind Dave Krieg and Hasselbeck in yards (20,122), completions (1,593), attempts (2,992), and touchdowns (107). His three consecutive 3,000-yard seasons were tops in team history, since broken by Hasselbeck in 2005, and he was the first Seattle quarterback to record back-to-back 300-plus yard games--a feat he accomplished twice.

Zorn was recently 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.

Zorn, 56, and his wife, Joy, have four children: daughters Rachael, Sarah, and Danielle, and son Isaac.  Rachael is married to Neal Mitchell, and the two are proud parents of daughter Hollis Joy.

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. Their teams of medical, dental and other health professionals volunteer to serve in field stations, hospitals and clinics worldwide.

Pro Athletes Outreach is led by former NFL offensive tackle Norm Evans and his wife, Bobbie, in its training of professional athletes and their wives to become leaders in Christ. In 1998, Pro Athletes Outreach expanded its scope to provide conferences to help train and equip coaches to support their work with athletes.