Jim Bates / Seattle Times

Seahawks quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn, left, has worked with Matt Hasselbeck since 2001. Zorn was a Seahawks quarterback for nine seasons.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Undecided on a head coach, the Washington Redskins at least have someone to run the offense.

The Redskins signed Jim Zorn to a three-year contract Friday to be their offensive coordinator, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a formal announcement had not been made.

Zorn, Seattle's quarterbacks coach for the past seven years, interviewed with Redskins owner Dan Snyder at Snyder's home on Wednesday. The interview was prompted by Zorn's reputation as a top coordinator prospect and wasn't necessarily tied to any particular candidate in the team's search for a head coach.

Regardless of who the new coach will be, Zorn's hiring essentially assured the departure of Al Saunders, who ran the offense to mixed reviews for the last two seasons under coach Joe Gibbs.

The search for a head coach has proceeded at an erratic pace, with consecutive days of long interviews generating a new hot favorite interspersed with quiet periods while Snyder ponders his next move. The last known interview took place with former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel on Monday, and the owner is considering waiting until the Super Bowl has been played so that he can interview potential candidates from the Giants and New England.

Snyder has also interviewed Redskins assistant Gregg Williams, Indianapolis defensive coordinator Ron Meeks and Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.

Zorn has overseen the development of three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle and will be expected to do the same with Washington's young quarterback, Jason Campbell. Zorn is a perfectionist who nitpicked Hasselbeck on everything from throwing motion to footwork to temperament.

A longtime local favorite in Seattle, Zorn was the franchise's original starting quarterback in 1976 and started 100 games over nine seasons with the team. He returned as an offensive assistant for one season in 1997, then served as Detroit's quarterbacks coach from 1998-2000 before returning to Seattle again to take charge of the Seahawks' quarterbacks in 2001.