Redskins Sign Jim Haslett
After being rebuffed by Mike Zimmer, the Washington Redskins have reportedly found a new defensive coordinator. Former Rams head coach Jim Haslett has agreed to join Mike Shanahan and the Redskins as their defensive leader, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Haslett is coming off a successful season in the United Football League, where he captained the undefeated Florida Tuskers, who made it to the league's first championship game before ultimately falling short of the title.
The new defensive coordinator has previously held the same position in New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. He's also served as the head coach both in New Orleans and St. Louis, compiling a 47-61 record over his head coaching career. He was named 2000 NFL Coach of the Year in his first season as a head coach, leading the Saints to a surprising 10-6 record and division title before losing in the divisional round of the playoffs.
As defensive coordinator in Pittsburgh, Haslett led a defense that finished in the top 12 in scoring defense in each of his three seasons, despite the team finishing with a winning record in just one of those years. His Rams defenses weren't so lucky, finishing near the bottom of the league in both his seasons as defensive coordinator.
After taking over as head coach in St. Louis early in the 2008 season, Haslett managed just a 2-10 record, with both wins coming in the first two weeks after being named interim head coach. A ten-game losing streak to close the season earned him a dismissal, despite four of the final five losses being of the four-points-or-less variety.
The Redskins have had a busy offseason, hiring Mike Shanahan to replace Jim Zorn as head coach. Shanahan instilled his son Kyle as the offensive coordinator, and the younger Shanahan's passing offense in Houston was one of the best in the league. Should Haslett improve the Redskins' 18th-ranked scoring defense, the trio of new coaches could bring a quick turnaround to the Washington Redskins franchise.
