On February 10, 2008, Redskins Owner Daniel M. Snyder welcomed Jim Zorn as the franchise's 27th head coach, ushering in a new chapter in Redskins history.

Zorn, an NFL quarterback from 1976-87 and an NFL assistant coach the last 11 years, brings an approach that he describes as "constant and consistent" in terms of how he manages coaches and players.

He envisions a Redskins team that is high energy and plays smart and steady.

"My hope is to hold the traditions and the fight that the Redskins have always had in high regard," Zorn said. "I am going to try in my best effort to continue that tradition in my tenure here as the head football coach.

"I've always dreamed of being a head coach with a franchise rich in tradition like the Redskins. 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."

Zorn reached the top of his profession in an exciting couple of weeks.

Zorn was originally hired as the Redskins' offensive coordinator on Jan. 26, 2008. He impressed 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. He succeeds Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs.

"We wanted a head coach that had great character, integrity, leadership skills, smarts, drive, energy and passion," Snyder said. "In Coach Zorn, we ended up with a person that has all of those attributes, plus much, much more."

Zorn comes to the Redskins from the Seattle Seahawks where he spent the last 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 continuing in 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 franchise quarterback to pass for 3,000-plus yards in three consecutive seasons.

In 2007, 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.

In 2006, Hasselbeck started just 12 games after suffering a knee injury in the middle of the season and finished the year with a fractured finger on his left hand. In the interim, Zorn helped with the development of Seneca Wallace, who completed 58 percent of his passes, tossed eight touchdowns, posted a 76.2 passer rating and a 2-2 record in the most extensive playing time of his four-year career.

In 2005, Zorn guided Hasselbeck to his second Pro Bowl appearance and the NFC's top-rated passer (4th NFL) with a 98.2 rating en route to Super Bowl XL. Hasselbeck directed the NFL's second-ranked offense to a franchise-record 11 consecutive wins and in his four December games he posted the fourth-best passer rating in NFL history (135.5), including 10 touchdowns to one interception, and completed 76 percenr of his passes.

Zorn's 2002 campaign had Trent Dilfer open the season as the starter and concluded with Hasselbeck under center. Seattle's passing attack ranked third in the NFL averaging 254.9-yards a game. Hasselbeck finished the season ranked first in the NFC with a 63.7 completion percentage and second in the NFC with a 87.8 passer rating. Hasselbeck passed for more than 300 yards four times, including a franchise-record 449 in the season finale at San Diego. Hasselbeck joined Zorn as the only Seahawks quarterbacks to pass for at least 300 yards in back to back games. Zorn accomplished the feat in 1979 and 1981.

Zorn's 2001 quarterback crop included Holmgren's hand-picked starter Hasselbeck, Super Bowl XXXV quarterback Dilfer and 2000 part-time starter Brock Huard. Zorn groomed Hasselbeck and helped the first-year starter to become the AFC's fifth-rated passer on third-down with a rating of 80.6.

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 in the collegiate ranks before his pro coaching 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, starting 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 second in the Seahawks' record book behind Dave Krieg 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, 55, and his wife, Joy, have four children: daughters Rachael, Sarah, Danielle and son Isaac. Rachael is married to Neal Mitchell, and the two are proud parents of infant 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.