Why the Oakland Raiders Chose Well With Ken Norton Jr.
By Erik Lambert
Oct 17, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. looks on during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Getting the head coach right is most important and the Oakland Raiders feel they did that with Jack Del Rio. He’s tough, practical and experienced. Three things several previous Raider coaches can’t say. However, getting the coordinators set is almost equally as important.
The good news? They may have quietly found a hidden gem for their defense in Ken Norton Jr. Here is why that is.
He’s a winner. Period. Every stop he’s made in his football career over the past 27 years has resulted in the highest level of achievement. Don’t believe it. Here are some quick notes to keep in mind.
Won three-straight Super Bowls as a player
Winning one Super Bowl is quite an achievement for a player but can usually be passed off as him just riding the wave of being on a really good team. What separates Norton Jr. is that he won three-in-a-row. Not only that, but he won three-in-a-row with two different teams. He took home two Lombardi trophies with the Dallas Cowboys in 1992 and 1993 and then jumped ship to the San Francisco 49ers and helped them capture the crown in 1994. That is either plain good luck or the mark of a great leader.
Won a national title his first year as an assistant coach
If that weren’t enough, Norton Jr. didn’t waste time getting back to winning when he decided to venture into coaching. His very first job came at USC in 2004 as their linebackers coach. That year the Trojans went undefeated and captured their second-straight national championship. Of course that title has since been vacated due to NCAA sanction against the program, but it can’t erase the accomplishment Norton made.
Won the Super Bowl as an assistant for the Seattle Seahawks
Then, in order to prove his success was no fluke, Norton returned to the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks in 2010. There he helped construct one of the best defenses in league history on the way to a dominating Super Bowl victory in 2013 So for those keeping track, Norton Jr. is the owner of four Super Bowl rings and a college national championship ring.