Ken

Norton Jr.

Norton was fired as the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator after the 2021 season and spent the last two seasons at UCLA working as their linebackers coach. The long-time coach worked with Commanders HC Dan Quinn for three seasons and will now take over a linebacking group that’s in need of a turnaround next season.

A Pete Carroll assistant from 2010-14 in Seattle, Norton detoured as Raiders defensive coordinator from 2015-17 before returning to coordinate Carroll’s group in 2018. He spent the past four years overseeing a declining unit that aged out of its Super Bowl glory years, one that was not adequately replenished. Carroll is also famously “hands on” with both his coordinators, but especially on the defensive side of the ball. Essentially, Norton is a scapegoat, though it’s easy to argue that the Seahawks need new voices on both sides of the ball. The initial scuttlebutt is that the ‘Hawks will promote DL coach Clint Hurtt to replace Norton.

In many ways, Norton is the scapegoat for an underachieving team, but his firing is also completely justifiable. The Raiders have a league-low six takeaways, including an historic zero interceptions. No team has ever gone this late in the year without picking off a pass. Despite having reigning Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack up front, the Raiders are tied with the Giants for the fewest sacks (14). Opposing passers are posting a 113.3 QB rating when they face the Raiders. Something had to change. Ex-Chargers DC John Pagano is taking over.

Norton coached the Seahawks’ linebackers from 2010-2014 and is a “comfortable” hire, reuniting with Pete Carroll. He signed a deal on January 8 to work as the 49ers’ assistant head coach/linebackers, but Norton can break that contract for a higher-up position. Norton coordinated abominable defenses in Oakland the past two years. After his firing this past season, the Raiders’ defense played better down the stretch under John Pagano. Both of Seattle’s coordinator hires -- including OC Brian Schottenheimer -- have been thoroughly uninspiring.

He’ll focus on coaching inside linebackers where the Niners have 2017 first-rounder Reuben Foster looking to stay healthy and become one of the best at his position. Norton is a longtime Pete Carroll assistant who coached with Carroll at both USC and in Seattle as a linebackers coach. His tenure in Oakland as defensive coordinator lasted 2.5 seasons before he was fired in November.

It’s a flashy hire for new Raiders coach Jack Del Rio, who spent time in the same linebacker group as Norton on the Cowboys in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Norton Jr. spent the last five years coaching linebackers on Pete Carroll’s Seahawks staff. He was passed over for Seattle’s defensive coordinator vacancy in favor of DBs coach Kris Richard.