View source for Ken Norton Jr.

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1966)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox gridiron football biography
| name         = Ken Norton Jr.
| image        = Commanders Training Camp - 54752501829.jpg
| caption      = Norton with the [[Washington Commanders]] in 2025
| current_team = Washington Commanders
| position     = Linebackers coach
| career_position = [[Linebacker]]
| career_number = 51
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1966|9|29|mf=y}}
| birth_place  = [[Jacksonville, Illinois]], U.S.
| height_ft    = 6
| height_in    = 2
| weight_lb    = 254
| high_school  = [[Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets|Westchester]] {{nowrap|([[Los Angeles, California]])}}
| college      = [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]] (1984–1987)
| draftyear    = 1988
| draftround   = 2
| draftpick    = 41
| pastteams    =
* [[Dallas Cowboys]] ({{NFL Year|1988|1993}})
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1994|2000}})
| pastcoaching =
* [[USC Trojans football|USC Trojans]] ([[2004 USC Trojans football|2004]]–[[2008 USC Trojans football|2008]])<br />Linebackers coach
* USC Trojans ([[2009 USC Trojans football|2009]])<br />Assistant head coach & linebackers coach
* [[Seattle Seahawks]] ({{NFL Year|2010|2014}})<br />Linebackers coach
* [[Oakland Raiders]] ({{NFL Year|2015|2017}})<br />Defensive coordinator
* Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|2018|2021}})<br />Defensive coordinator
* [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA Bruins]] (2022–2023)<br />Linebackers coach
* [[Washington Commanders]] ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)<br />Linebackers coach
| highlights   = 
{{center|'''Playing'''}}
* 3× [[Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XXVII|XXVII]], [[Super Bowl XXVIII|XXVIII]], [[Super Bowl XXIX|XXIX]])
* First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1995 All-Pro Team|1995]])
* Second-team All-Pro ([[1993 All-Pro Team|1993]])
* 3× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1994 Pro Bowl|1993]], [[1996 Pro Bowl|1995]], [[1998 Pro Bowl|1997]])
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1987 College Football All-America Team|1987]])
* First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-Pac-10]] ([[1987 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1987]])
* Second-team All-Pac-10 ([[1986 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|1986]])
{{center|'''Coaching'''}}
* Super Bowl champion ([[Super Bowl XLVIII|XLVIII]])
* [[AP Trophy|AP national champion]] ([[2004 USC Trojans football team|2004]])
| statlabel1   = [[Tackle (football move)|Tackle]]s
| statvalue1   = 1,274
| statlabel2   = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statvalue2   = 12.5
| statlabel3   = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue3   = 5
| statlabel4   = Defensive [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue4   = 2
| pfr          = NortKe00
| pfrcoach     = NortKe0 
}}

'''Kenneth Howard Norton Jr.''' (born September 29, 1966) is an American professional [[American football|football]] coach and former player who is the [[linebacker]]s coach for the [[Washington Commanders]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL). He played [[college football]] as a linebacker for the [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA Bruins]] and was selected by the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in the second round of the [[1988 NFL draft]].

Norton is the first player to have won three consecutive [[Super Bowl]]s during his playing career, doing so with the Cowboys and [[San Francisco 49ers]]. Only one other player, [[Darian Kinnard]], has accomplished this feat since; however, Kinnard did so without appearing in any postseason games across his three-year stretch, making Norton the only player to achieve this as a regular starter.

Since retirement, Norton has coached at both the college and professional level. In college, he has worked as the linebackers coach for [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]] and [[USC Trojans Football|USC]], briefly serving as assistant head coach with the latter. At the NFL level, he has previously served as [[defensive coordinator]] for the [[Oakland Raiders]] and [[Seattle Seahawks]] and currently works as the linebackers coach for the [[Washington Commanders]]. Norton is the son of the late former world champion boxer [[Ken Norton]].

==Early life==
Norton is a graduate of [[Westchester High School (Los Angeles)|Westchester High School]] in [[California]], where he played as a [[running back]] averaging 8.8 yards per carry as a senior.

He went on to play at [[UCLA]] from 1984 to 1987, where he was converted to [[linebacker]], the position he would play for the remainder of his football career.

Norton was a member of the 1985 conference championship team, and helped the Bruins to four consecutive [[bowl game]] wins. He led the team with 106 tackles in 1986 and 125 in 1987. He ranks sixth in school history with 339 career tackles.

He was named the team's defensive MVP in 1987, earned first-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] honors, and was a finalist for the [[Butkus Award]].<ref name="LAT011508">{{Cite web |last=Klein |first=Gary |date=January 16, 2008 |title=A 'flattered' Norton will stay with Trojans |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-16-sp-norton16-story.html |access-date=September 24, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

Norton was inducted in the [[UCLA]] Hall of Fame in 1998.

==Playing career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 1 3/4
|       weight = 230
|         dash = 4.56
|    ten split = 1.60
| twenty split = 2.65
|      shuttle = 4.37
|     vertical = 32.0
|     broad ft = 9
|     broad in = 6
|        bench = 21
|    hand span = 8 1/2
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=26119 |title=Ken Norton, Combine Results, ILB - UCLA |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=November 24, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===Dallas Cowboys (1988–1993)===
Norton was selected in the second round of the [[1988 NFL draft]] by the [[Dallas Cowboys]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1988 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1988/draft.htm |access-date=September 24, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He spent most of his rookie year on the [[injured reserve list]] with a broken thumb.

In 1989, Norton and [[Jesse Solomon]] shared the [[weakside linebacker]] position. He played the first and third quarters, Solomon the second and fourth.

In [[1990 NFL season|1990]], he became a full-time starter when Solomon held out and was eventually traded to the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]. A knee injury sidelined him for the last two games of the season.

In [[1991 NFL season|1991]], he bounced back from knee surgery and was used at [[strongside linebacker]] and [[middle linebacker]] during that season, eventually settling in at the middle linebacker spot.

In [[1992 NFL season|1992]], he blossomed as a player and became the leader of the defense, leading the team in tackles with 120 and helping the Cowboys win their first Super Bowl in the 1990s. That year the Cowboys had the number one defense in the league, but no player was voted to the [[Pro Bowl]]. He also started doing his trademarked punching of the goal posts or the air, after making good plays. A tribute to his father, the one time boxing heavyweight champion of the world, [[Ken Norton]].

In [[1993 NFL season|1993]], he had to play through a torn biceps injury,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19940311&id=UydSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wjUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1062,4955501| title=Norton, Casillas get offers| work=The Victoria Advocate| page=3B| date=March 11, 1994| access-date=October 29, 2013}}</ref> but still managed to lead the team in tackles with 159, helping the Cowboys win their second straight [[Super Bowl]]. He was also selected to his first [[Pro Bowl]]. Norton played in Dallas between [[1988 NFL season|1988]] and [[1993 NFL season|1993]], assisting the Cowboys to victory in [[Super Bowl XXVII]] and [[Super Bowl XXVIII]]. Norton scored his first career [[touchdown]] on a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXVII, helping to seal a Cowboys victory.

In [[1994 NFL season|1994]] when a [[salary cap]] was instituted in the [[National Football League|NFL]], the Cowboys organization felt they could find [[linebacker]]s through the draft, without the need of paying a premium and adversely impacting the salary cap, so they allowed talented and productive players like [[Darrin Smith]], [[Dixon Edwards]], [[Robert Jones (linebacker)|Robert Jones]], and Norton to leave via free agency, instead of signing them into long-term contracts.

===San Francisco 49ers (1994–2000)===
During the first year of [[Free agent|free agency]], he joined the [[San Francisco 49ers]] from [[1994 NFL season|1994]] to [[2000 NFL season|2000]]. He became the first player to win three consecutive Super Bowls when the 49ers won [[Super Bowl XXIX]], a feat that remained unmatched until 2025, when Philadelphia Eagles offensive linemen Darian Kinard accomplished the same feat - winning two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, and his third with the Eagles. Norton was selected to his second [[Pro Bowl]] in 1995. Norton was also named to the NFL All-Pro Team following the 1995 season. Norton is also notable for his part in ending the career of [[Napoleon McCallum]]. In the first game of the [[1994 NFL season|1994 season]], Norton, along with [[Bryant Young]], tackled McCallum during a rushing play. While he was being pulled to the ground, McCallum's knee collapsed backwards into an unnatural position, almost at a 90-degree angle. After the play, Norton remained under McCallum while medical staff attended to McCallum.

Norton finished his 13 [[National Football League|NFL]] seasons with 12 sacks and 5 interceptions, which he returned for 127 yards and 2 [[touchdown]]s (both in the same game against the [[St. Louis Rams]] in [[1995 NFL season|1995]]). He also recovered 13 fumbles and returned them for 36 yards. Along with ex-teammate [[Deion Sanders]], Norton won consecutive [[Super Bowl]]s on different teams. Years later, [[LeGarrette Blount]] and [[Chris Long]] would become the third and fourth players to do so.

==Coaching career==

===USC Trojans (2004–2009)===
[[File:2008-1101-USC-KenNortonJr.jpg|thumb|Norton with the [[USC Trojans football|USC Trojans]] in 2008]]
In 2004, he joined the coaching staff of the [[USC Trojans football]] team under Head Coach [[Pete Carroll]]. From 2004 to 2009, he served as the linebacker coach for the Trojans; while at USC he helped recruit and develop NFL-bound linebackers such as NFL [[Pro Bowl]]er [[Lofa Tatupu]], [[Dallas Sartz]], [[Keith Rivers]], [[Brian Cushing]], [[Kaluka Maiava]], [[Clay Matthews III]], and [[Rey Maualuga]].

On January 7, 2009, Norton was promoted to USC Assistant Head Coach for Defense. A form of recognition of his continuing work with the USC linebacker corps, he has developed three consecutive [[Rose Bowl (game)|Rose Bowl]] MVPs: Brian Cushing (2007), Rey Maualuga (2008) and Kaluka Maiava (2009).<ref name=LAT010809>Gary Klein, [http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-usc8-2009jan08,0,52970.story Pete Carroll promotes Rocky Seto to defensive coordinator], ''Los Angeles Times'', January 8, 2009, Accessed January 8, 2009.</ref>

Attending the player evaluations of the by-invitation-only 2009 NFL Scouting Combine were all four of Norton's Trojan senior class linebacker protégés:  Brian Cushing, Kaluka Maiava, Clay Matthews III, and Rey Maualuga.

===Seattle Seahawks (2010–2014)===

On January 11, 2010, it was announced that USC linebackers coach Norton would be joining head coach Pete Carroll in Seattle to fill the same role with the Seahawks, reuniting him with his protégé,  Seahawks defensive standout [[Lofa Tatupu]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schefter |first=Adam |last2=Clayton |first2=John |date=January 9, 2010 |title=Sources: USC's Carroll, Seahawks reach deal |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4810861 |access-date=December 25, 2024 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

Norton would also win his fourth Super Bowl, [[Super Bowl XLVIII]] on February 2, 2014, his first as a coach.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl XLVIII - Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos - February 2nd, 2014 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201402020den.htm |access-date=February 20, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Norton was instrumental in the development of the [[Seattle Seahawks]] star linebacker group consisting of All-Pro [[Bobby Wagner]], Pro Bowler [[KJ Wright|K.J. Wright]], Super Bowl MVP [[Malcolm Smith (American football)|Malcolm Smith]], special teams captain [[Heath Farwell]], veteran [[Leroy Hill]], and pass rush specialist [[Bruce Irvin (American football)|Bruce Irvin]].

===Oakland Raiders (2015–2017)===

On February 6, 2015, he was named the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders also signed [[Seattle Seahawks]] outside linebacker [[Bruce Irvin (American football)|Bruce Irvin]] reuniting him with his former coach.

Under Norton's tutelage, outside linebacker [[Khalil Mack]] won the [[Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award|NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award]] at the end of the [[2016 Oakland Raiders season|2016 season]].

He was fired by head coach [[Jack Del Rio]] on November 21, 2017, two days after the Raiders suffered a blowout 33-8 loss to the [[New England Patriots]] and the defense having not [[Interception|intercepted]] a pass in 11 weeks.

===San Francisco 49ers and Seahawks (2018–2021)===

On January 8, 2018, he was hired as the 49ers assistant head coach,<ref>{{cite web | title=49ers Hire Ken Norton Jr. as Assistant Head Coach, Announce Other Coaching Changes | url=http://www.49ers.com/news/article-2/49ers-Hire-Ken-Norton-Jr-as-Assistant-Head-Coach-Announce-Other-Coaching-Changes/4399ebbc-1a80-4279-b584-5621e77d3159 | access-date=January 9, 2018 | archive-date=March 16, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316123632/http://www.49ers.com/news/article-2/49ers-Hire-Ken-Norton-Jr-as-Assistant-Head-Coach-Announce-Other-Coaching-Changes/4399ebbc-1a80-4279-b584-5621e77d3159 | url-status=dead }}</ref> leaving the position just 1 week later when the Seahawks hired him as defensive coordinator.<ref>{{cite web | last=Barrows | first=Matt | title=Hi and goodbye: Ken Norton Jr. won’t be with 49ers after all | website=Sacramento Bee | date=January 15, 2018 | url=https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article194795799.html | access-date=April 28, 2025}}</ref> Norton was fired after the conclusion of the [[2021 NFL season]] lasting 4 seasons in his second stint with the Seahawks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Goodbread |first=Chase |title=Seahawks fire defensive coordinator Ken Norton after four seasons |website=[[NFL.com]] |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/seahawks-fire-defensive-coordinator-ken-norton-after-four-seasons |date=January 18, 2022}}</ref>

===UCLA Bruins (2022–2023)===
In February 2022, Norton returned to [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]] as linebackers coach under head coach [[Chip Kelly]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Charean |title=Report: Ken Norton Jr. returning to UCLA to become linebackers coach |url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/02/24/report-ken-norton-jr-returning-to-ucla-to-become-linebackers-coach/ |access-date=February 24, 2022 |work=profootballtalk.nbcsports.com |publisher=NBC Sports |date=February 24, 2022}}</ref>

=== Washington Commanders (2024–present)===
[[File:Commanders Training Camp - 54751433782.jpg|upright=.75|thumb|Norton coaching [[Bobby Wagner]] as the [[Washington Commanders]] linebackers coach, 2025]]
In February 2024, Norton was hired by the [[Washington Commanders]] as their linebackers coach.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://commanderswire.usatoday.com/2024/02/12/washington-commanders-hire-ken-norton-jr-as-linebacker-coach-dallas-cowboys-usc-seattle-seahawks/|work=USAToday.com|title=Commanders hire Ken Norton Jr. as linebacker coach|first=Bryan|last=Manning|date=February 12, 2024|access-date=February 14, 2024}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Norton is the son of [[Ken Norton]], former world champion heavyweight [[boxing|boxer]] noted for being among the few to ever win against [[Muhammad Ali]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Ken Norton, Jr.|Ken Norton Jr.}}
* [https://www.commanders.com/team/coaches-roster/ken-norton-jr Washington Commanders profile]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Norton, Ken Jr.}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:African-American coaches of American football]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American football linebackers]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from California]]
[[Category:Coaches of American football from Illinois]]
[[Category:Dallas Cowboys players]]
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[[Category:Players of American football from Illinois]]
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[[Category:Westchester High School (Los Angeles) alumni]]