Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

dirty

dirty

EOG Master
Source: Mora reaches deal to be Hawks' head coach once Holmgren retires

By John Clayton
ESPN.com
(Archive)

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<!-- end story header --><!-- begin left column --> <!-- begin page tools --> Updated: February 5, 2008, 11:23 PM ET
<!-- end page tools --><!-- begin story body --> <!-- template inline -->Jim Mora reached a five-year agreement Tuesday that will allow him to transition into the head coaching job with the Seattle Seahawks once Mike Holmgren retires after the season, a source close to Mora told ESPN.com.
Mora will serve the 2008 season as the assistant head coach in charge of the secondary. Once the season is over, Mora, former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, will become the head coach for the next four seasons, according to the contract that was agreed to in principle Tuesday evening. The move wasn't a surprise. General manager Tim Ruskell was looking for a defensive coach to lead the franchise after Holmgren decided he would no longer coach the team. Mora, who played at the University of Washington, wanted to return to the Seattle area to coach. He first suggested the University of Washington, his alma mater. Then the Seahawks came calling with a chance for him to coach the secondary. Mora's influence in improving the secondary along with improving each of the cornerbacks and safeties was one of the big reasons the Seahawks defense made a dramatic improvement in 2007. He interviewed for the head coaching job with the Washington Redskins but pulled his name out, hoping the Seahawks would make him a "head coach in waiting." Jim Caldwell worked out a similar deal with the Indianapolis Colts once Tony Dungy decides to retire. Even though the NFL strictly enforces the Rooney Rule that requires teams to interview minority candidates, teams are allowed to promote coaches currently on staff for the future without fear of penalty for not interviewing others. Now, the Seahawks have a plan in place. Holmgren will coach in 2008. Mora will get the next four years. John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.


ESPN - Source: Mora reaches deal to be Hawks' head coach once Holmgren retires - NFL
 
crazyl

crazyl

2
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

Wonder how hard they'll play for Holmgren this upcoming season, guess it comes down to their respect for him. Sometimes you see guys taking plays off or not going 110% for a coach they know is on the way out.
 
dirty

dirty

EOG Master
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

I think they play 100% no matter what Knowing that their next coach is right there on the sidelines as well
 
WildBill

WildBill

2
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

This whole Mora saga in Seattle has been crazy. I don't even get it with him, has he really accomplished that much as an HC? Seems like he inherited an excellent team in Atlanta and then took them into the ground. Never understood why he got into the UW coaching situation and can't see what the Hawks see in him.
 
dirty

dirty

EOG Master
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

Injuries on Defense were the Main reason things went south in Atlanta
 
M

maverick

EOG Veteran
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

Dont really see whats so great about Mora Jr. either...........

Sometimes I think some of these guys have pictures of owners in compromising positions and they use these to get jobs..............
 
MIKEH75

MIKEH75

EOG Dedicated
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

me neither,just don't see whats great about him.his dad was a pretty good coach back in the day but i haven't seen anything to suggest junior was special.
 
T

thetuna2121

EOG Enthusiast
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

Listen to some interviews from his old players...Loved playing for the guy...The Hawks Secondary which he coached this season all rave about him and look what he did from Marcus Trufant, who had a phenominal season with Mora at the helm.
 
Louisvillekid1

Louisvillekid1

2
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

Jim Mora Jr has been around alot of solid coaches. He had some success in Atlanta, and there is enough talent in seattle to win right away. Playing that division should allow him to keep this team in the playoffs.
 
dirty

dirty

EOG Master
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

Falcons Players loved him as well
 
5teamparlay

5teamparlay

1
Re: Jim Mora, Jr Reaches deal to take over Seahawks when Holmgren Retires

The News Herald (news-herald.com), Serving Northern Ohio

\
Sports
Browns: Rumor mill churns out Holmgren



Monday, November 9, 2009
By Jeff Schudel
JSchudel@News-Herald.com

George Kokinis was removed as Browns general manager one week ago today. Since then, prominent names in the restructured office team owner Randy Lerner envisions have surfaced, among them Mike Holmgren, Ernie Accorsi and Ron Wolf.

All three former NFL executives are retired. Whether any of them would want to go back to work and take on the daunting task of rebuilding the Browns is the question.

Accorsi, the Browns' general manager from 1985-92, was viewed as a front-runner the very day Kokinis was seen being escorted by security personnel to the front of the Browns' training facility in Berea. He was general manager of the New York Giants from 1997-2007. Accorsi, 68, has since said he is happy in retirement and has no plans to be a general manager of any team, but he did not slam the door on running the entire football operation as Bill Parcells does in Miami. In an e-mail response last week, Lerner said he is looking for an experienced leader in the mold of Parcells.

Holmgren, a former coach of the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, who for a time was also the Seahawks' general manager, is also someone whose name as been mentioned as a likely candidate for the job Lerner has made filling a top priority. On Sunday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com said Holmgren, 61, is Lerner's first choice. Holmgren, though, when he retired from the Seahawks after the 2008 season, implied he was not finished coaching.

"Can't comment," Lerner said by e-mail Sunday night. "Hope you understand."

Wolf, best known for his work as general manager of the Packers from 1991-2001, turns 71 on Dec. 30. One of his first acts as GM in Green Bay was to fire Coach Lindy Infante and hire Holmgren. In 1992, he acquired quarterback Brett Favre in a trade with the Falcons and in 1993 signed defensive end Reggie White in free agency. The Packers played in two Super Bowls under Wolf's guidance, beating the Patriots in one and losing to the Broncos the other.

Wolf almost ended his retirement one other time to work for the Browns. He was hired by former Browns president Carmen Policy as a personnel specialist on Jan. 29, 2004, and even released a statement about it, but former Butch Davis basically said he didn't need Wolf's help and that was that.

"I am really excited to be able to work with the Cleveland Browns," Wolf said at the time. "I have a lot of respect for Carmen Policy and Butch Davis and look forward to helping them in any way I can."

Lerner said whoever he hires as president of the football side of the Browns will hire the general manager and then presumably decide the fate of Coach Eric Mangini. It is unlikely Lerner would hire Holmgren or anyone else on the condition Mangini is retained, although for now Lerner said Mangini will be the Browns' coach in 2010. The Browns are 1-7.

In other news, Schefter reported the Browns ordered Kokinis to undergo counseling because Kokinis had become so withdrawn. The report said Kokinis and Mangini rarely if ever talked, which is ironic because Kokinis was hired on Mangini's recommendation after 13 years with the Ravens following five with the Browns.

Reporters who covered training camp daily found it strange Kokinis was rarely on the practice field observing, and when he was on the field he was hardly ever with Mangini. Instead, he would watch practice from a golf cart in the fieldhouse — not exactly a box seat. Asked how he could learn anything from practice from that vantage point, Kokinis said he would watch the tapes of practice to assess the players.
 
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