Jim Mora is a former American football coach who had a successful career in both the college and professional ranks. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Washington in 1973 and went on to coach at various colleges, including Stanford, Colorado, and UCLA.
Mora's first head coaching job came in 1984 when he was hired by the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars of the United States Football League (USFL). He led the team to two championships in three seasons before the league folded in 1986.
After the USFL folded, Mora joined the New Orleans Saints as their head coach in 1986. He spent 11 seasons with the team, leading them to four playoff appearances and their first-ever division title in 1991. Mora's tenure with the Saints is best remembered for his infamous "playoffs" rant during a post-game press conference in 2001.
Mora left the Saints in 1997 and spent one season as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts before being fired after a 3-13 season. He then returned to coaching in the college ranks, taking over as the head coach at the University of Washington in 2002. However, he was fired after just one season with the team.
Mora returned to the NFL in 2004 as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He led the team to the NFC Championship Game in his first season, but they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. Mora's tenure with the Falcons was marked by inconsistency, and he was fired after three seasons with the team.
After a brief stint as an analyst for the NFL Network, Mora returned to coaching in 2009 as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. However, he was fired after just one season with the team, finishing with a record of 5-11.
Overall, Mora's coaching career was marked by both success and disappointment. He had a winning record as a head coach in both the college and professional ranks, but he was also fired from multiple jobs and never won a Super Bowl. Despite this, Mora is still regarded as one of the most respected coaches in football and has left a lasting impact on the sport.
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