Many people wonder if Zach Orr, the former Baltimore Ravens linebacker and current inside linebackers coach, is related to Michael Orr, the former NFL offensive tackle and the subject of the movie The Blind Side. The answer is no, they are not related by blood or by adoption. They just happen to share a common surname and a passion for football.
Who is Zach Orr?
Zachary Orr (born June 9, 1992) is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the inside linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Baltimore Ravens from 2017 to 2020 and outside linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021
Orr played college football at North Texas and signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He played for three seasons in the NFL, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2016 after recording 132 tackles, five passes defended, three interceptions, and a forced fumble
Orr announced his retirement from the NFL on January 20, 2017 due to a congenital neck/spine condition that ended his season He briefly attempted a comeback later that year, but no team would sign him due to his spinal condition and herniated disc. He officially announced his retirement for a second time on August 18, 2017.
Orr began his coaching career as a defensive analyst for the Baltimore Ravens in 2017. He was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars as their outside linebackers coach in 2021, but returned to the Ravens as their inside linebackers coach in 2022.
Who is Michael Orr?
Michael Jerome Oher (born May 28, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Mississippi and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers.
Oher’s life and early years were chronicled in Michael Lewis’s 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, which was later adapted into a film of the same name in 2009. The film starred Quinton Aaron as Oher, Sandra Bullock as his adoptive mother Leigh Anne Tuohy, Tim McGraw as his adoptive father Sean Tuohy, and Lily Collins as his adoptive sister Collins Tuohy. The film received critical acclaim and earned Bullock an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Oher won Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens in 2013, defeating the San Francisco 49ers. He also appeared in Super Bowl 50 with the Panthers in 2016, losing to the Denver Broncos. He was released by the Panthers in July 2017 after failing a physical due to a concussion he suffered in September 2016. He has not played in the NFL since then.
Conclusion
Zach Orr and Michael Orr are not related by blood or by adoption. They are both former NFL players who played for the Baltimore Ravens at different times. They have different backgrounds, stories, and positions on the field. They share a common surname and a love for football, but that’s where their similarities end.
