The Seattle Seahawks announced that Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs Coach Jim Mora will become the seventh head coach in franchise history beginning with the 2009 season. Mora's four-year deal as head coach follows Mike Holmgren's 10 years at the helm, in which he became Seattle's winningest and longest-tenured head coach in franchise history.
"I am extremely excited about the future, but completely focused on the opportunity we have in front of us this season," said Jim Mora. "My job this year, as it was last, is to coach the secondary to the best of my ability and support coach Holmgren and the defensive staff in any way I can. In addition to thanking Mr. Allen, Tod and Tim for having faith in me and making this possible, I would like to thank Mike Holmgren, who has helped me immensely this past season, and from whom I have learned a great deal."
"This makes a lot of sense for the organization, Jim is a talented coach who has already had a measure of success in this league and has all the tools here needed to succeed," said Head Coach Mike Holmgren. "As I have stated many times before, I believe with Tod and Tim in place the future of this franchise is very bright and the continuity a move like this provides can only be a good thing moving forward."
It will be Mora's second head coaching job in the NFL. He served as the Atlanta Falcons Executive Vice President/Head Coach from 2004-06, compiling a 26-22 regular season record and a 1-1 postseason record. He and his staff guided the Falcons to an 11-5 record in 2004, becoming just the eighth rookie head coach in NFL history to win 11 games, captured the NFC South, and led the Falcons to their second-ever appearance in the NFC Championship Game.
In his first year in Seattle, Mora guided a Seahawks secondary to lead the league in touchdown passes allowed (15), rank second in the league in opponent quarterback rating (73.0) and lead the NFC (4th NFL) with 20 interceptions, while helping Richard Sherman reach his potential with a Pro Bowl year.
Mora joined the Falcons after spending seven seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (1997-03), including the last five as defensive coordinator. Prior to his days in the Bay Area, he worked under his father, Jim E. Mora, as secondary coach for the New Orleans Saints (1992-96). He broke in to the NFL with the San Diego Chargers in 1985. In his first year, his position was the first-ever to be known as a quality control coach. He was named defensive assistant/secondary one year later, a position he held until earning the role of defensive backs coach in 1989.
After his playing days at the University of Washington as a walk-on linebacker (1981-83), he began his coaching career as a defensive assistant under Don James in 1984.
Mora is married to wife, Shannon, and the couple have four children.
