Jim E. Mora (Sr.)

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
20 158-146-0 51.97% 0-7 0.00%

Coaching Tree

Parents:

Ron Meyer, Jack Patera

Children:

Dom Capers, Jim Haslett, Jim L. Mora (Jr.), Bruce Arians, Vic Fangio

Biography

Career Summary

Jim E. Mora (Sr.) was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1978 to 2001, finishing his career as the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Over his twenty years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 159-153-0. During his career he was a head coach for fifteen seasons, first with the New Orleans Saints. He led the Saints for eleven seasons, compiling a record of 94-81-0. He resigned from the Saints on Monday, October 21, 1996. At the time of his resignation, Mora was the longest tenured coach in major North American sports. He resigned in a profanity laden in a press conference halfway through the season. At the time of his resignation, he was the only coach in Saints history with a winning record. His next head coaching stint was with the Indianapolis Colts from 1998 to 2001, as he led the team to a 32-32-0 record. He was fired from the Colts on Tuesday, January 8, 2002. Mora was fired after a season when given an ultimatum from the team: fired his defensive coordinator or be fired. Mora declined, feeling that the issue was with the players and not the defensive coaching staff. During his entire head coaching career, his two teams combined for a record of 126-113-0 across fifteen seasons including going 0-6-0 in the playoffs.

Career Awards

Mora (Sr.) won the NFL's Coach of the Year award in 1987 after guiding the Saints to a 12-3-0 record and a a berth in the playoffs. As the head coach of the New Orleans Saints he coached two players to award-winning seasons: Rueben Mayes, AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1986; Pat Swilling, AP Defensive Player of the Year in 1991. As the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts he coached one player to an award-winning season: Edgerrin James, AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1999.

Jim E. Mora (Sr.) Coaching Tree

Before he was a head coach, Mora (Sr.) served as an assistant coach for Jack Patera and Ron Meyer. Four of these years were spent on Patera's coaching staff. During his time as head coach, five assistant coaches, (Dom Capers, Vic Fangio, Jim L. Mora (Jr.), Jim Haslett, and Bruce Arians) on his coaching staff were hired as head coaches across the league. His coaching tree has combined for a record of 223-242-1 in the regular season and 9-6 in the playoffs during their twenty-nine seasons as head coach after serving on his coaching staffs. The coaching tree has won a single championship, in 2020 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by Bruce Arians.

History

Year Position Record Playoff record
2001 Indianapolis Colts Head Coach 6-10-0 0-0
2000 Indianapolis Colts Head Coach 10-6-0 0-1
1999 Indianapolis Colts Head Coach 13-3-0 0-1
1998 Indianapolis Colts Head Coach 3-13-0 0-0
1996 New Orleans Saints Head Coach / Vice President 2-6-0 0-0
1995 New Orleans Saints Head Coach / Vice President 7-9-0 0-0
1994 New Orleans Saints Head Coach / Vice President 7-9-0 0-0
1993 New Orleans Saints Head Coach 8-8-0 0-0
1992 New Orleans Saints Head Coach 12-4-0 0-1
1991 New Orleans Saints Head Coach 11-5-0 0-1
1990 New Orleans Saints Head Coach 8-8-0 0-1
1989 New Orleans Saints Head Coach 9-7-0 0-0
1988 New Orleans Saints Head Coach 10-6-0 0-0
1987 New Orleans Saints Head Coach 12-3-0 0-1
1986 New Orleans Saints Head Coach 7-9-0 0-0
1982 New England Patriots Defensive Coordinator 5-4-0 0-1
1981 Seattle Seahawks Defensive Line Coach 6-10-0 0-0
1980 Seattle Seahawks Defensive Line Coach 4-12-0 0-0
1979 Seattle Seahawks Defensive Line Coach 9-7-0 0-0
1978 Seattle Seahawks Defensive Line Coach 9-7-0 0-0

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts