Jim Zorn James Arthur " Jim " Zorn ( born May 10 , 1953 ) 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 Washington 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 School in Cerritos , California in 1971 , and played college football at Cal Poly Pomona for the Broncos . Professional career ( 1976 – 87 ) . Zorn was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys in 1975 , the same year they had their famed Dirty Dozen draft . He would make the team , but was later cut to make room for running back Preston Pearson , who had been waived by the Pittsburgh Steelers . The Seattle Seahawks took advantage and claimed him off waivers . He would become a star starting QB for the Seahawks in their early days from 1976 – 83 , before his position was taken by Dave Krieg 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 Fame 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 NFC 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 . " Green Bay Packers and Winnipeg Blue Bombers ( 1985 – 86 ) . The Green Bay Packers 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 . Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Retirement ( 1987 ) . In 1987 , Zorn decided to come back to the NFL after only one season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers . 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 . College coaching career ( 1988 – 96 ) . 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 . 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 . Professional assistant coaching career ( 1997 – 2007 ; 2010 – present ) . Zorn moved up to the pro coaching ranks in 1997 . Zorn joined the Seattle Seahawks 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 . Professional head coaching ( 2008 – 2009 ) . After Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs 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 . 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 ) . Tight 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 . Coaching tree . NFL head coaches under whom Jim Zorn has served : Personal life . Zorn and his wife , Joy , have four children : daughters Rachael , Sarah , and Danielle and son Isaac . 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 .