Hired on February 4, 2010, Norton, Jr. enters his first season in the NFL coaching ranks after retiring from the game in 2000, after 13 years as one of the premiere linebackers in the game.
In his first season, Norton, Jr. helped David Hawthorne to his second-consecutive 100-tackle season, becoming the eighth player in Seahawks history to accomplish that feat. He also tutored 2009 first-rounder Aaron Curry to a career-high 3.5 sacks and a 70-tackle season (58 solo).
He spent six seasons coaching linebackers for USC from 2004-09. In 2009, he added the title of assistant head coach of the defense. He spent his first year at USC as a graduate assistant (helping with the linebackers) after joining the Trojan staff in February of 2004.
Hired on February 4, 2010, Norton, Jr. enters his first season in the NFL coaching ranks after retiring from the game in 2000, after 13 years as one of the premiere linebackers in the game.
In his first season, Norton, Jr. helped David Hawthorne to his second-consecutive 100-tackle season, becoming the eighth player in Seahawks history to accomplish that feat. He also tutored 2009 first-rounder Aaron Curry to a career-high 3.5 sacks and a 70-tackle season (58 solo).
He spent six seasons coaching linebackers for USC from 2004-09. In 2009, he added the title of assistant head coach of the defense. He spent his first year at USC as a graduate assistant (helping with the linebackers) after joining the Trojan staff in February of 2004.
In 2008, linebacker Rey Maualuga was named an All-American first teamer and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, made his third consecutive All-Pac-10 first team and was USC’s first-ever winner of the Bednarik Award (he also was a finalist for the Lombardi, Butkus and Nagurski Awards). Fellow linebacker Brian Cushing was also a Butkus Award finalist and won All-Pac-10 first team honors. Following the season, Cushing was a NFL first round pick (as was part-time linebacker Clay Matthews), Maualuga was a second rounder and Kaluka Maiava was a fourth rounder.
In 2007, linebacker Keith Rivers was an All-American first teamer and was a first round NFL draft pick following the season, while linebacker Thomas Williams was a fifth round NFL selection. In 2006 and 2007, Rivers and linebacker Rey Maualuga made the All-Pac-10 first team. Linebackers Dallas Sartz (fifth-round) and Oscar Lua (seventh-round) were selected in the 2007 NFL Draft.
In 2004, linebackers Matt Grootegoed and Lofa Tatupu were named All-American first teamers (Grootegoed also was a Butkus Award finalist and Tatupu was an NFL second-round pick).
Norton, Jr. spent 13 years playing in the NFL, first with the Dallas Cowboys for six seasons (1988-93) and then seven years with the San Francisco 49ers (1994-2000). The All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection is the only player in history to play on three consecutive Super Bowl-winning teams (the Cowboys in 1992 and 1993 and the 49ers in 1994).
After retiring from the NFL, he was a radio and television commentator and analyst, including on the NFL Network. He also served as the defensive coordinator at Hamilton High in Los Angeles in 2003.
He was the Cowboys second-round NFL draft pick in 1988 after earning All-American honors at UCLA in 1987. He lettered four seasons (1984-87) with the Bruins and was a finalist for the 1987 Butkus Award. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from UCLA in 1998.
Born on September 29, 1966, he and his wife, Angela, have three children, daughters Brittney and Sabrina, and son Ken III. His father is the former world heavyweight boxing champion and played football at Northeast Missouri State.
