With no end to the confusing, befuddling and bundled Redskins coaching search in sight, Times beat reporter Ryan O'Halloran and NBC 4's Lindsay Czarniak try to figure out what the heck went wrong with the Gregg Williams interview, what Joe Gibbs is thinking and also give a Super Bowl prediction.

1. Just a few weeks ago, after Joe Gibbs' retirement, the natural assumption was that Gregg Williams would be promoted to head coach, Al Saunders would likely to stay on to run the offense and stability would rule. What the heck happened?

Ryan: Danny and Vinny couldn't help themselves. Gibbs, by all accounts, recommended Williams as his successor -- a plan Coach Joe had in his idea for at least two years, since Williams spurned several head-coaching opportunities to stay with the Redskins. But something happened during the Williams-Snyder-Cerrato conversations. Our guess -- Williams (who showed zero respect for several media outlets -- The Washington Times and Channel 4 included -- by speaking to only two media outlets on Friday) asked Snyder to can Vinny. That wasn't going to happen. When the Redskins interviewed Jim Mora, it was a sign they had soured on Williams; when they promoted Cerrato, it was over.

Lindsay: I know Gregg really wanted the job, which may seem obvious, but I think it's important because it demonstrates the fact that he didn't take the opportunity lightly. However, my guess is that Dan Snyder and Vinny weren't willing to give the kind of personnel control that Gregg wanted to make the team successful. I believe that's where the difference occurred. Williams is not the type to go and say derogatory things about Coach Gibbs and about Vinny Cerrato but he is the kind of guy that stands up for what he really believes and he knows how this team responds. We saw that based on how he himself took a small step back and allowed players to have more control this season. It worked and like Ryan said, there was something that the sides couldn't agree upon. When his aggression toward Gibbs was questioned, Williams was done.

2. Joe Gibbs has to be slightly upset about the way things have gone down. If you gave Joe some truth syrup, what questions would you like to have him answer?

Ryan: The Danny must be giving Car Owner Joe a ton of money (several millions) to be the good solider until the very end. Most of Joe's four years of work have gone down the tubes. I hope Gibbs is ticked. I hope he will rip The Danny & Vinny Show when we chat next month in Daytona. But I doubt that will happen on the record. My questions: Did you strongly recommend Gregg? Would have stayed for a fifth year if you got the hint Gregg wasn't their guy? How much will this hurt Jason Campbell's progress? Will you cut ties with the team after this turn of events?

Lindsay: Great question. I would want to know who he recommended and in what order to Dan and Vinny. How he feels watching what was built over this last season fall into a completely unorganized situation and what kind of advice Snyder has called him for after he stepped down? I would have to follow up the conversation with the question ... why Toyota?

3. The Redskins have made it a tradition to re-work players' deals in order to free up cap space. With this upheaval, how much does that hurt their efforts?

Ryan: On defense, some guys may be willing to re-work their deals because the transition to Greg Blache should be relatively seamless. Guys like Phillip Daniels and Cornelius Griffin will move around some money because of the respect they have for Blache. MLB Marcus Washington was a big-time Williams Supporter and that will be interesting to monitor. Williams not getting the job all but guarantees that CB Shawn Springs will exit.

Lindsay: Big time. Players are hurt and frustrated and I would guess right now, re-working deals is not looked upon favorably considering how upside down things look for the Redskins right now. I can't see Clinton Portis being a big fan of reworking under this transition. I agree with Ryan, it helps that Blache has a loyal following. I think if you ask any of them right now, the answer is drastically different within the next couple months after dust has settled. I believe there is more frustration than people realize amongst the team.

4. Who should get the job: Fassel, Spagnuolo, Mariucci, Meeks, mystery candidate? Who does Danny/Vinny pick?

Ryan: Of that group, I'll pick Jim Fassel because all things point to his hiring. He has NFL head coaching experience. He's experienced success. He knows the NFC East. And he knows quarterbacks. Fassel would leave Blache to handle the defense and make Campbell's development his primary responsibility. But trying to get inside the cranium of Danny/Vinny not causes a headache, it creates a ton of indecision. I think they go with Fassel.

Lindsay: My head hurts from thinking about this. But here's my thought -- I think they want to hire Fassel. Everything about it makes sense because of what they've chosen, being that Fassel is the one that brought Zorn to their attention and he obviously is comfortable with Blache, but, I'm going with Mariucci. I think there could be too many connections to him, to his west coast ways, to players that are excited about the fact of playing for him. This is a name that Snyder will get a significant splash with. My choice, would be Spagnuolo -- I like what he's done these past few weeks, he's worked a depleted secondary into a playoff contending team that's about to play in the Super Bowl.

5. Whoever the new coach is, should Redskins drop their expectations significantly?

Ryan: No they shouldn't. The Redskins are like a lot of other teams in the league -- average. Al Saunders' departure means there won't be a quarterback competition -- Campbell is the guy and that will only help him. The defense will have many of the same pieces back but it's unclear how Carlos Rogers and Rocky McIntosh will bounce back from their knee injuries. The schedule -- playing the NFC West and the AFC North -- is favorable.

Lindsay: No, I don't think so, either. The deal is that it was the team, the players that found a chemistry at the end of last season and if this team is not shaken up too badly as far as the guys on the field, I think they can pull some of that forward. I think Saunders new job means its very likely Collins could follow him. I expect Zorn to be a benefit to working with Jason but I do worry about how quickly the Skins will adjust to the west coast offense.

6 BONUS: Who wins Sunday's Super Bowl?

Ryan: It's tough to pick against the Patriots so I won't. As the week goes on and the point spread plummets into single digits, the Giants will gain more and more momentum because they're the underdog. But New England is the better team, period. The Patriots will score whenever it's required and win 34-20.

Lindsay: I have jumped on the Eli bandwagon because I want to see him bust past the rep of Peyton's scrappy little brother. I am impressed with how consistent he's become towards the end of the season and the way he says he has learned his lesson in not listening to the criticism Still, I don't see anyway that the Giants can beat New England. I say Patriots 37-24.

After days of speculation that he would interview for the Redskins' coaching vacancy, former 49ers and Lions coach Steve Mariucci will apparently meet with Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato in Arizona before Super Bowl XLII kicks off Sunday.

Mariucci, 52, is covering the game as an analyst for NFL Network where he has worked since being fired by the Lions in 2005.

Mariucci would follow Jim Schwartz, Gregg Williams, Ron Meeks and the current favorite, Jim Fassel, as candidates to be interviewed for the job opened up by Joe Gibbs' retirement on Jan. 8. Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, whose teams meet for the title, are also still possibilities.

Got more to say on Art Monk's place in history? Let us know in the comments.

Former Redskins Darrell Green and Art Monk have been voted into the Class of 2008 for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2008 is Green, Monk, Fred Dean, Andre Tippett, Gary Zimmerman and Emmitt Thomas.

Russ Grimm was part of the 15 semi-finalists but did not make the cut to 10 individuals.

David Elfin got a few minutes with the Redskins brain trust -- namely owner Dan Snyder -- after the Hall of Fame press conference this afternoon.

Snyder had the following to say:

- He'd be very surprised if the coaching search were not over by the end of the week

- "Two or three" candidates remain in the hunt

- The outcome of the Super Bowl won't change who the Redskins talk to

Meanwhile, a team source said Patriots coordinator Josh McDaniels is not being considered, which puts the Super Bowl radar squarely on Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo squarely on their radar.

Also, all members of Joe Gibbs' coaching staff have been given contract extensions through 2010 except for the two obvious ones (Gregg Williams and Al Saunders) and Ernest Byner and quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor.

More details and news to come from David and Ryan in Sunday's paper.

- John Taylor

UPDATE (6:23 p.m.)

During a phone conversation moments ago, Ryan O'Halloran caught up with former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who said he is not involved in the interviewing of candidates. He also defended Snyder.

"I've been staying quiet on the process out of respect for the process," Gibbs said. "Some people took that as me being disappointed. That's not the case at all. I want to emphasize that I think Dan has been very, very thorough and gone as hard as you can on this. In the end, what's going to come out of this is that he's going to make a great choice for the Redskins."

With two former Redskins getting enshrined this summer, team owner Dan Snyder already has told the NFL that he wants his team to play in annual Hall of Fame game on Sunday, Aug. 3, according to David Elfin of The Washington Times.

The induction ceremonies, which will include Darrell Green and Art Monk, will take place on Saturday, Aug. 2 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

If Snyder gets his wish, the Redskins will play five preseason games instead of just four, and training camp will start a week earlier than usual. The Hall of Fame game takes place at Fawcett Stadium in Canton.

Speaking of which, Ryan mentioned this in a post the other day, but tickets for the weekend are already on sale. Tickets may be purchased online at profootballhof.com or by calling 1-800-913-9788. The ceremony will start at 6 p.m. on Aug. 2. Ticket prices are $27 for sideline seats and $55 for floor (field) seating at Fawcett Stadium.

- John Taylor

That was my reaction when Darrell Green, reacting to his Hall of Fame election, thanked me, his presenter, before his family, coaches and teammates.

Truthfully, it didn't take much of an argument to get Darrell elected. Art Monk was a much tougher sell, but after three years, I finally prevailed with plenty of help from some of fellow selectors.

For the record, I voted for all six of the candidates who were elected.

Turns out that the Redskins' braintrust interviewed Steve Mariucci about the coaching vacancy on Wednesday, as first speculated, as opposed to before Super Bowl XLII today.

Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the final candidate, will be interviewed on Tuesday, meaning there won't be an announcement of the new coach before Wednesday.

Two league sources confirmed that ousted Redskins assistant head coach-defense Gregg Williams has interviewed with the Dallas Cowboys.

But not for the coordinator position.

The Cowboys have a vacant spot as linebackers coach. Williams probably would carry the title of assistant head coach-linebackers coach. Brian Stewart has been assured by coach Wade Phillips that he will remain defensive coordinator.

What could preclude Williams' appointment is that Dallas plays a 3-4 defense (Williams is a staunch 4-3 coach) and veteran NFL coach Dom Capers has been offered the job but is mulling the opportunity.

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin said moments ago the team has not been contacted by the Redskins about interviewing defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

"We haven't seen that yet," Coughlin said, while moving on to the next question without answering a query about how big a loss Spagnuolo would be.

A couple people around the Giants expect Spagnuolo to attend the team's parade Tuesday in New York City. My guess is that he would jet down to the Washington area tomorrow night to kick-start the interview process.

Triumphs for the Redskins and the Giants have pushed Steve Spagnuolo's interview for the former's coaching vacancy back a few hours. Spagnuolo won't meet with Redskins owner Dan Snyder and executive vice president Vinny Cerrato until Tuesday night, after the Giants defensive coordinator has attended his team's Super Bowl victory parade and after Snyder and Cerrato fete newly-elected Hall of Famers Darrell Green and Art Monk at Redskin Park.

The late start means Spagnuolo's interview will resume again on Wednesday, quite possibly delaying the announcement of a new coach until Thursday. That would be 30 days after Joe Gibbs retired for the second time.

Spagnuolo, who capped a fine first year as a coordinator by shutting down New England's record-setting offense as his Giants won Super Bowl XLII on Sunday night, is suddenly the favorite for the NFL's only remaining head coaching vacancy. At 48, he will never be hotter and the presence of a staff almost totally in place shouldn't be an issue since he handled the same situation so well with the Giants.

Spagnuolo will be the seventh and last candidate to interview for the Redskins' job. He follows fellow defensive coordinators Jim Schwartz of Tennessee and Ron Meeks of Indianapolis; former Atlanta coach Jim Mora; former Redskins assistant head coach Gregg Williams; former Giants coach Jim Fassel; and former San Francisco and Detroit coach Steve Mariucci.

During a quick layover in Minneapolis, I had a chance to return some and make some calls.

Although a Jacksonville (Fla.) radio station is reporting Gregg Williams is headed to the Jaguars as defensive coordinator, our source says a deal has not been signed as of a few moments ago.

One thing that could be holding up the deal besides money (which we all know Williams loves) is he could be monitoring the New York Giants situation.

If Steve Spagnuolo interviews well and is hired by the Redskins, I would be stunned if Williams and the Giants don't have a mutual interest because Williams would be unlikely to overhaul the scheme.

As for Bill Lazor interviewing with Seattle, we floated that possibility on Monday. A source said the Seahawks wanted to hire Bill Musgrave to replace Jim Zorn. But Atlanta blocked the move. Musgrave then recommended Lazor (the two worked together with the Redskins in 2005) to Mike Holmgren and offensive coor Gil Haskell.

Lazor joining Al Saunders in St Louis was eliminated when Saunders hired old friend Terry Shea. The two were on Kansas City's staff for many years.

[UPDATED 9 p.m.]

We're reporting, after hearing from multiple league sources, that Williams is indeed joining the Jaguars as defensive coordinator. More to come.

It's almost 11 a.m. and Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has resumed his interview session with Dan Snyder and Redskins executive vice president Vinny Cerrato at the owner's Potomac mansion.

Spagnuolo, whose defense keyed the Giants' stunning upset of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, is the seventh and presumably final candidate for the vacancy created by Joe Gibbs' retirement. Friday, which could be the day that Gibbs' replacement is finally named, will be a month since Gibbs' departure.

While the search to find a coach for the 2008 Redskins hits the four-week mark tomorrow and could be ending before the weekend, the Seattle Seahawks have announced its coach for the 2009 season.

In an afternoon press conference, Jim Mora will be named Mike Holmgren's successor. "The Big Show" said a few weeks ago he would be stepping down after next season.

Mora, the current assistant head coach-secondary, will sign a five-year contract. I think he would have been a front-runner for the Redskins job had he not removed his name from consideration. At the time, Mora's representative said no plan of succession was in place.

Mora's appointment could have an impact on soon-to-be-former Redskins quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor. Lazor interviewed with Holmgren and offensive coordinator Gil Haskell earlier this week. But if Mora has a say in the hire and Oakland blows up its staff, Greg Knapp could get the job and then become Mora's offensive coordinator next year.

Knapp worked for Mora when both were in Atlanta and critics said Knapp's offense was unimaginative.

Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is still interviewing for the Redskins vacant head coaching job at owner Dan Snyder's house in Potomac, a league source confirmed.

The source said the group met for 8 or 9 hours Tuesday night and started talking again this morning around 8 a.m.

One of Gregg Williams' interviews last month lasted nearly 12 hours.

Today marks the four-week mark of the search, which has included interviews with seven candidates. Some research about coordinators who get their first head coaching job -- they generally sign a four- or five-year contract worth $2 to $2.5 million per season.

I'll have more details when/if they become available although it appears my hope for a Thursday press conference is disappearing with every passing hour.

- Ryan O'Halloran

UPDATED 6:08 p.m.

A source just chimed into David Elfin and said Spagnuolo, Snyder and Cerrato are still meeting as of 5:30 p.m.

UPDATE: 7:17 p.m.

ESPN is reporting that the interview has shifted from Snyder's house to Redskin Park. I take that as a sign that the interview is going well -- well enough that Spagnuolo wanted to check out the digs before going back to New Jersey.

I dashed out to Redskin Park in lovely Ashburn, only to find . . . nothing as of 7:50 p.m.

No other media.

No limo.

No car in Dan Snyder's spot.

Just a security guard in the media room watching "Jeopardy."

ESPN reported last hour that the Steve Spagnuolo interview had shifted from Snyder's home in Potomac to Redskin Park. As of now, that doesn't appear to be the case.

I'm in it for the medium haul (definitely not the long haul) and will check in later.

As expected former Redskins assistant/jilted head coaching candidate Gregg Williams has been named assistant head coach-defense of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

What the parties had to say in statements released by the team:

Coach Jack Del Rio: "Gregg Williams is an outstanding football coach, has a wealth of NFL coaching experience and is committed to helping us pursue a world championship. I am pleased to add another strong teacher to our coaching staff. We've established a high standard of defensive play over the past five years here and I expect that to continue under Gregg."

Williams: "I'm excited to be joining the Jaguars and Jack Del Rio's staff, and I'm looking forward to getting started in Jacksonville. I was there for the organization's first game in 1995 as well as a lot of other memorable moments, and have had great respect over the years for the ownership and the players and coaches and their success. This is a very, very good team and a tremendous opportunity.

"The last four years, being a part of the Redskins organization was a great experience. I appreciate the process that Mr. Snyder and Vinny Cerrato allowed me to participate in. It was the most thorough process I've been involved in in the NFL. I thank the Redskins fans and the organization for allowing me to be a part of their family. It was a dream come true to work for a Hall of Fame coach like Joe Gibbs. I will be able to utilize a lot of great learning experiences, and Joe Gibbs is not only a Hall of Fame coach but even a better person. I appreciate all the opportunities that Dan Snyder and the Redskins family allowed me to be a part of and I take with me many fond memories from my time in Washington."

It will be interesting to monitor how Del Rio -- who I'm told was in nearly every defensive meeting last season -- works with Williams.

Word from Redskin Park is that the interminable search for the next coach likely won't be resolved today and could actually go into next week. Part of this could be timing. As much as the Redskins rule local sports, they understand that weekend newspapers and newscasts are the least-watched so if Dan Snyder wants maximum exposure, as usual, the next big day after today would be Monday.

So if the two-day sitdown with Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo didn't produce a job offer, which seems to be the case, and Snyder and righthand man Vinny Cerrato need another day to make their pick of Spagnuolo, former Giants coach Jim Fassel, former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci and Colts D-coordinator Ron Meeks, then the Redskins could try to sit on the news through the weekend.

By the way, tomorrow is a month since Joe Gibbs retired.

A source close to Steve Spagnuolo said that the Giants' defensive coordinator just decided to pull out of contention for the Redskins' head coaching job and remain in New York.

Developing. ...

-- David Elfin

Jim Mora dropped out. Gregg Williams didn't pass the test. Jim Schwartz quickly disappeared. And Steve Spagnuolo dropped out this morning.

What does The Danny do now? He's going to be raked across the proverbial coals by Redskins Nation no matter what decision he makes, so he might as well make it quick before this thing stretches into a fifth week.

Here are his options:

1. Hire Jim Fassel right now. He was almost their guy a few weeks ago but the entire staff would have been fired. Now most of the assistants remain on board but Fassel is fine with Jim Zorn. I don't know how he feels about Greg Blache running the defensive side.

2. Revisit things with Steve Mariucci. The sides chatted last week in Arizona but Mariucci has yet to come to the D.C. area for more talks.

3. Hire Ron Meeks. The Indianapolis defensive coordinator has been interviewed twice but I've always seen him as the guy who would get the job if things totally fell apart. Things may be at that stage.

4. Start over. This would be the best option ... if there were great candidates on the radar. But this isn't a great year to be finding a coach because few teams cleaned house and all of the "hot" coordinators have removed themselves from consideration. This would be a gamble because the free agent/draft process has to start soon.

5. Talk with Russ Grimm. The Arizona assistant knows how Redskin Park works. Which is probably a reason his name didn't materialize during the search. This would be the one name Redskins fans may embrace but if I'm Grimm, I don't touch this job.

I'm in the minority but I believe Fassel is a better option than Mariucci and Meeks.

The Giants have put out a news release announcing Steve Spagnuolo's decision to remain with the team as defensive coordinator.

Spagnuolo: “I appreciated Mr. Snyder giving me the opportunity to visit with him. I have a great deal of respect for him and the Washington Redskins organization. I was happy to have the opportunity to explore that situation, but I am equally happy to be staying in New York and look forward to continued success with the Giants.”

Coach Tom Coughlin: “I thought Steve and our defensive staff and players did an outstanding job this season. It was the first season for that group to work together, and they challenged themselves to get better every week, and they did. Steve is a hard worker who has quickly earned the respect of the players and coaches, and he has earned the consideration he is being given. Needless to say, I am happy that he will be remaining here.”

President/CEO John Mara: "A year ago, Tom hired Steve because people that Tom trusts told him that Steve is a no-nonsense, hard-working, energetic young coach. And Tom liked the fact that Spags had earned his stripes every step of the way in his coaching career. Steve demonstrated all of that and more this season, and we have made the appropriate adjustments in our commitment to Steve in recognition of what he and the defensive coaches and players achieved this season.”

An NFL source said that John Palermo, who coached at Notre Dame in 1988-89 when Redskins executive vice president Vinny Cerrato was the recruiting coordinator, will be hired as Washington's defensive line coach, filling the void created by Greg Blache's promotion to defensive coordinator last month.

Palermo, now at the University of Miami, has coached in bowls in 17 of his 27 seasons. He coached Big Ten Defensive Players of the Year Erasmus James and Wendell Bryant at Wisconsin and Lombardi Trophy winner Chris Zorich, later a Redskin, at Notre Dame. Palmero was head coach at Austin Peay in 1990.

The Redskins' coaching search has hit the month-long mark. It was a month ago just after 9 a.m. that the team announced coach Joe Gibbs was retiring. And, after talking to Jim Schwartz, Gregg Williams, Jim Mora, Jim Fassel, Ron Meeks, Steve Mariucci and Steve Spagnuolo, Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato still don't have a coach.

In honor (?) of the seemingly-endless quest of the burgundy and gold braintrust, Redskins 360 would like to bring back some Chuck Berry lyrics. It only seems that the Redskins have been looking for a coach since Berry was one of the biggest stars in rock and roll half a century ago.

"Thirty Days"

By Chuck Berry

I'm gonna give you thirty days to get back home
I done talked to the gypsey woman on the telephone
She gonna send out a world wide hoodoo
That'll be the very thing that'll suit ya
I'm gonna see that you be back home in thirty days
Oh thirty days (thirty days!)
Oh thirty days (thirty days!)
I'm gonna see that you be back home in thirty days

The only team that has taken longer to find a coach recently to find a coach is Oakland. So, essentially, as we enter the second month of covering The Job That Nobody Wants, Redskins owner Dan Snyder has become Al Davis.

Ouch.

Here's a breakdown:

Hired before 2006 season

Minnesota: 6 days (for some reason, didn't let Brad Childress leave town without a contract)

Kansas City: 8 days (engineered a "trade" with Jets for Herm Edwards)

Green Bay: 9 days (hired former Packers assistant Mike McCarthy)

NY Jets: 10 days (poached Eric Mangini from division rival New England)

Buffalo: 14 days (went with retread Dick Jauron, who was with Detroit)

New Orleans: 16 days (hired Sean Payton away from Dallas)

Detroit: 17 days (went with a non-coordinator -- Rod Marinelli. How's that working out?)

St. Louis: 19 days (this was Gregg Williams' job if he wanted it. Scott Linehan got the job)

Houston: 25 days (had to wait for Denver to lose to hire Gary Kubiak)

Oakland: 38 days (all this time ... for Art Shell)

Hired before 2007 season

San Diego: 7 days (didn't happen until late February but Bolts move quickly to hire Norv Turner once Marty was canned)

Atlanta: 8 days (Arthur Blank probably wishes he would have taken longer instead of hiring Bobby Petrino)

Arizona: 14 days (Steelers left Ken Whisenhunt twisting, so Cardinals hired him)

Miami: 17 days (at the time, Cam Cameron seemed like a decent fit)

Dallas: 18 days (Jerry had few options so he went with Wade Phillips)

Oakland: 18 days (all this time ... for a college position coach -- Lane Kiffin)

Hired this offseason

Miami: 12 days (Dolphins were able to hire Tony Sparano quickly when Dallas lost)

Baltimore: 20 days (when Jason Garrett stayed with Cowboys, Ravens went with John Harbaugh)

Atlanta: 24 days (Mike Smith's appointment came 43 days after Petrino quit)

Redskins: 30 days and counting. ...

David Elfin just phoned this in: A league source just revealed the stunning news that the Redskins next coach will be is not any of the seven candidates who had interviews, but is new offensive coordinator Jim Zorn.

Developing. ...

UPDATED 7:20 p.m.

Below is the official release from the team:

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
February 9, 2008

JIM ZORN NAMED WASHINGTON REDSKINS HEAD COACH

ASHBURN, 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're 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 Head Coach Mike Holmgren, where they shared in playoff trips for the past five seasons and one Super Bowl appearance. His elevation to head coach at the Redskins adds his name to Holmgren's "family tree" of quarterback coaches who moved into the head coaching ranks, joining Andy Reid (directly from quarterback coach to the Eagles head coach), Jon Gruden, Marty Morninweg, and Steve Mariucci. Holmgren's tree also includes Jim Mora, Dick Jauron, Ray Rhodes, and Mike Sherman.

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 players 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.

"Dan was impressed with Jim from their first meeting. The first time he talked to me about hiring Jim I could tell what a strong impression he had made," Gibbs added. "Jim was a heck of a player, I know because I had to coach against him. But everyone also knows what a high-quality person he is, it's the first thing people tell you."

"I'm also extremely excited about the fact that Dan has maintained such stability and continuity among the staff. Not just the coaches, but also the entire infrastructure - strength coaches, medical staff, and others - that is required to maintain chemistry on a team," 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."

"We spent two days taking Jim through the same interview process as every other candidate. Those sessions only confirmed my earlier comment to Joe (Gibbs): Jim Zorn will be a terrific head coach," Snyder said.

"I appreciate our fans' patience during this process. We promised a full search and we stuck to that promise. I also want to thank Joe (Gibbs) for his daily encouragement to stay the course, be patient, and fully interview everyone we identified as a potential head coach," Snyder added. "I also want to thank all the candidates for their time and hard work. They are all strong coaches and good people."

Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins Executive Vice President of Football Operations, said, "I'm proud of our work over the past 30 days, and I'm excited by the outcome. We worked seven days a week, late into the night. We were thorough, professional, and detailed. Our process was designed to identify the best candidate and it did. Jim (Zorn) is the only coach we offered the job to, contrary to some reports."

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. In 2002, Dilfer began the season as the starter, with Hasselbeck stepping in to complete the season. That year, Seattle's passing attack ranked third in the NFL and 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.

With Hasselbeck entrenched as Seattle's starter, Zorn has worked with Holmgren in implementing the team's offense while also continuing the development of the quarterback. Hasselbeck, now a perennial Pro Bowler, continues to rank among the NFL's best quarterbacks. Similarly, the Seahawk's offense regular ranks among the NFL elite.

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

It's been about four hours since we received word that Jim Zorn would be the new Redskins coach, plenty of time to bang out a story for Sunday's paper, analyze what the heck happened and also check out the message boards. Some thoughts:

Why this could work

1. Fresh face = fresh approach. He's not a retread. I'll be able to judge more after tomorrow's press conference but he seems on the surface as somebody who will bring a new energy to the offensive side. Players would have known in advance what a guy like Fassel would have been like. Now they'll come to camp with an open mind.

2. The veterans will respect him. Zorn was a starter for several years in Seattle. That carries a ton of weight in the locker room -- he knows how the players feel and the players know that he's been through the battles. I expect them to buy into what he's selling even though he may not have been the Redskins' first choice.

3. He'll make Campbell better. The out-of-left-field hire could energize an offense that has failed to gain a level of consistency since I started covering the team in 2004. I expect Zorn to introduce an offense that is equal parts West Coast and Campbell Conductive. He won't run the same offense Mike Holmgren does because Jason Campbell is different than Matt Hasselbeck and Clinton Portis is better (now) than Shaun Alexander. The last two years, I believed position coach Bill Lazor had Campbell on the right track. (Obviously the Seahawks did, too -- he's replaced Zorn in Seattle). Now it's up to Zorn to continue that progress.

Why this might not work

1. Zorn's duties the last seven years in Seattle have been to supervise three players -- the quarterbacks. Now he has to oversee a 53-man roster, practice squad and coaching staff and work closely with the owner and front office. PLUS call plays on Sunday and be responsible for Jason Campbell's development. That may be too much to ask.

2. He won't have enough personnel input. The 'he's-a-puppet-for-Dan-and-Vinny' e-mails already have started to trickle in. Even if Zorn has certain things he wants on the roster, how possible is it that the braintrust will allow him to shape the roster? Not very.

3. I'll repeat my theory on No. 1. Being a head pro football coach is a gigantic task. Zorn is likely to call the plays his first year and be heavily involved with the quarterbacks. Throw in media demands and everything else and is he ready for everything that will be thrown on his plate?

Tennessee assistant head coach/offense Sherman Smith played seven years with Jim Zorn in Seattle. Through their 13 mutual years as NFL assistant, they have joked that the first one to become a head coach would hire the other as coordinator. It's believed that Titans coach Jeff Fisher wouldn't stop Smith, who has never called plays despite his title, from leaving for such an opportunity.

The Redskins, on Dan Snyder's request, will play in the Hall of Fame on Aug. 3 in Canton, Ohio, against the Indianapolis Colts as part of the celebration of the induction of Redskins greats Darrell Green and Art Monk.

Jim Zorn might be the new head coach, but he has a little to learn about the Redskins.

He referred to the team colors as maroon and black.

And you should have seen Dan Snyder and Viny Cerrato blanche when Zorn raved about the Redskins starting the Buffalo game on Dec. 2 with 10 players on defense.

That was the idea of Gregg Williams, who was fired as assistant head coach/defense. And Joe Gibbs, then the coach, didn't know about it, which became a major point of controversy after that loss to the Bills.

Defensive end Andre Carter was the first Redskins player to meet Jim Zorn since the new coach was hired.

"He was a great guy, very outspoken and he knows the game," Carter said after his brief sitdown with his new boss. "You can tell he's excited to be here."

Jason Campbell's sunning in the Bahamas. Todd Collins is home in Massachusetts with his new baby. But Mark Brunell just surfaced at Redskin Park. Briefly. Very briefly.

Brunell was out the front door and almost at his truck before the media noticed. We asked him to stop for a quick interview about new coach Jim Zorn, who coached quarterbacks the last seven seasons in Seattle under Mike Holmgren, Brunell's first NFL coach.

As was often true when Brunell was the starter but less so when he was the third-stringer last year, Brunell said that he had someplace that he had to be and couldn't stop to talk. Dave Satchell, veteran camerman extraordinaire for Channel 9, shouted out, "But [Zorn's] your guy."

To which Brunell responded. "He is? I hope so."