2010 MEDIA GUIDE - Seahawks Online Media Packet

48 ASSISTANT COACHES
Hired on February 4, 2010, Norton, Jr.
enters his first season in the NFL coaching
ranks after retiring from the NFL in 2000, after
13 years as one of the premiere linebackers in
the game.
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 an 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 line-
SEAHAWKS EXPERIENCE: 1st YEAR
NFL EXPERIENCE: 1st YEAR
backer 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 secondround
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.
NORTON JR.’S COACHING CAREER
2004 USC
Defensive Assistant/Linebackers
2005-08 USC
Linebackers
2009 USC
Asst. Head Coach of the
Defense/LBs
2010- Seattle Seahawks
Linebackers