It looks like we can call off the Jim Zorn Deathwatch. For the next couple of days anyway. Redskins executive vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato said on his ESPN980 radio show Friday morning that Zorn won't be fired before the 2009 season reaches its conclusion.
"Let me start by making a few things very perfectly clear: Jim Zorn is the head coach of the Washington Redskins, and will be for the rest of this season, and hopefully into the future."Cerrato's hardly an impartial party to this decision. When and if Zorn gets fired and when and if Daniel Snyder brings in the big-name coach everyone expects he'll bring in as a replacement, Cerrato will be the next head on the chopping block.
Think about it. Let's say Snyder is able to convince Mike Shanahan or Mike Holmgren or another of the big names to take on the Redskins job, what's the likelihood that they're going to want to work with Cerrato? They've been in charge of personnel before and if they want someone to help them with the task in D.C. it isn't likely to be the guy who has overseen the construction of this year's flailing bunch.
As for Zorn's immediate future, he's pretty much the head coach in name only at this point. Greg Blache always had the reins of the defense, and now Zorn isn't even calling the plays for the offense that he installed. That makes him responsible for buying birthday cakes around the office and overseeing fire drills, perhaps, but nothing that fits the job description of the other 31 teams around the NFL. The Redskins have already started the process of firing him, they just decided against doing it all at once.
Cerrato also downplayed the idea of any turmoil within the organization, which seems about right. Everything going on with the Redskins this season seems par for the course for the Snyder era.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
10-23-2009 @ 11:43AM
Melissa said...
I say fire Vinny C he sucks then the Skins have half a chance next yeat and get Holmgren in as Coach. We know that we wil have a high draft pick because the season sucks this year. Get and O line and a new QB... HTTR...
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10-23-2009 @ 12:48PM
Kako said...
Vinny Cerrato should get life time achievement award. Synder will just try to buy another big name player or two in the offseason. Why would a big name coach wanna be the coach of that team.
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10-24-2009 @ 10:40AM
bigblue said...
Well put KAKO..The Skins SH*T the bed when they signed Haynesworth, They should have made a deal for a decent QB. Campbell MIGHT make a good BACKup somewhere, but not a starter by any means...As the sayin goes, "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken sh*t".
10-23-2009 @ 12:57PM
furrsher said...
Things that drive me crazy about ESPN/ABC;
1/ Calling games "meetings", did you ever hear someone saying "I just got tickets for the next home meeting" 2/ Their crawl line showing soccer scores 3/ Their crawl line showing scores followed by fantasy yardage. JUST THE SCORES PLEASE! 4/ Their crawl lines showing times of games later that day. The people that care know. 5/ Showing scores of small Eastern schools, ala, Elon 14, Stoney Brook 10
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10-23-2009 @ 1:58PM
igster72 said...
As an Eagles fan, but moreover a football fan it's obvious that the biggest problem with the Redskins is Dan Snyder. Owners who involve theirselves usually come out on the bottom in the long run. Until Snyder sells the Redskins, they likely won't win anything!
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10-23-2009 @ 2:22PM
Steve said...
I for one am glad that the Skins decided to keep Coach Zorn at least untill the end of the season and maybe things will get better (HOPEFULLY) AFTER ALL we could do without another coach changing things because we had had a lot of that lately and none of them work,I dont think the best of Coaches could make things work this season SO LETS GET BEHIND THE SKINS AND CHEER THEM ON ,you never know maybe this is what it will take..BUT at the back of my mind DO WE REALLY TRUST Vinny and Snyder to stand by thier word ????? Best Regards Steve Dublin Ireland
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10-23-2009 @ 2:52PM
Tommy Wayne said...
I too am glad they are not going to fire Zorn!
Love,
Jim Zorn hehehehe
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10-23-2009 @ 4:02PM
WWLeake said...
I remember watching Zorn play quarterback. He was awful. Largent saved his butt all the time. I was surprised anyonw would hire him as a coach and call him an offensive genius. I guess he must be hard to take in the meetings as he knows nothing about how to score points with a football team.
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10-23-2009 @ 5:02PM
Tim said...
I bet it makes the coach feel real good that they are trying to replace him. Shanahan is getting paid $7 million dollars to just be guiet this year. Give Mr. Zorn a chance, the season is not over!
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10-23-2009 @ 5:32PM
William said...
I have been a fon for my entire life and I think Zorn should be rode out on a rail and the quaterback in the next car behind him.This is the worst team I can rember.Mr cook would be turning over in his grave.
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10-23-2009 @ 8:38PM
Bear 401 said...
I think the Redskins need to clean house starting with the people who make the decisions in management. They've spent a helluva lot of money over the last several years & have absolutely nothing to show for it. Plus name a top draft choice of theirs over that time that is still around or has any name recognition at all. Before anyone goes after a coach they should look at the people who gave/gives that coach the players to try & turn into a team that can compete every week. The teams that are solid especailly in ownership/management/player personnel areas, are also the teams that are consistantly solid on the field. The Redskins have not been solid in these areas & it has now negatively effected what happens on the field.
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10-23-2009 @ 9:23PM
bill said...
He's safe alright. Snyder just trying to think up new way to get him to resign so as to avoid paying him. C'mon Snyder you loser. You hired the guy. Fire him and pay him what YOU owe him
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10-23-2009 @ 10:57PM
megazoidia said...
igster72
Yep, if danny boy would just do what he does best, and that's buy players, the skins would be amazing.
I mean, hire a coach, let him coach, and when he says, "hey we need a new corner" danny needs to say alright, then sign one, just like he did haynesworth, to bad we didn't need haynesworth. but i'm just throwing it out there.
And no we shouldn't give Zorn a chance.
He needed to work his way up the ladder, period, that's why coaching tree's are so respected.
I would love next year to have Shanny, or someone who has experience. But foremost danny boy needs to learn some self control, you can't buy instant success in the NFL.
You have to build in the draft,its scary, in 3 years, we'll have to start from scratch all over again.
At least we have a solid defense right now.
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10-23-2009 @ 11:49PM
Jon said...
I think Snyder should stick with one head coach for at least a four or five year period. Its because of Snyder that the Skins are in the shape they are in now and now he wants a coach that can LAY HANDS and turn something around in a single breath. Gibbs and the Old ball coach didnt do it in their two and three year reigns. What I am saying is that I think despite lack of coaching exsperience Zorn has the fortitude it takes. They really need a different owner.
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10-24-2009 @ 9:47AM
Bill said...
I agree Jon. Since 1969 (40 years) the Steelers had just three coaches. Noll started 1-13 and got 4 lobardis. Cowher had several bad seasons before getting his, and Tomlin got his in just two years after cowher burned out. since noll and Cowher retired it means that the Rooneys have went four decades without firing a coach. If you remember Snyder went through five coaches in two seasons Schottenheimer being one of them
10-23-2009 @ 11:57PM
curtis bowes said...
getting rid of Jason campbell would be a start.
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10-24-2009 @ 4:13AM
megazoidia said...
why? why would you possibly want to get rid of campbell?
how about you pray he gets a decent line to stand behind, then pass judgment on him. same with zorn, you see 400 stretch runs because you KNOW you can't run it up the gut with this line.
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10-24-2009 @ 7:01AM
SteveK said...
Hey, I've been in management all my working career. You have to build a team and make changes and get real support from upper management. If you are a puppet like Zorn is to Dan(the Redskins biggest deficit)and send Vinny packing, you might have a chance at developing a working team. The fans are great, Snyder is the fan killer, not Zorn. Go Skins.
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10-24-2009 @ 8:04AM
stewrw said...
Must really suck to be a Deadskin fan. Just like our country right now with it's current leadership. A world wide embarrassment.
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10-24-2009 @ 8:13AM
randy said...
Hey Josh Alper, whoever you are, Jim Zorn might be handing out birthday cakes as you say in this article, but let's not forget he makes more money handing out one cake than you do all year! What a pathetic article as it basically says nothing!
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