Report: Former Seahawks DC Ken Norton Jr. joining UCLA staff as LB coach

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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 05: Bobby Wagner #54 and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. of the Seattle Seahawks talk during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field on December 05, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by S

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Former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. is reportedly set to join the coaching staff at his alma mater, UCLA, according to Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports.

Norton was fired after four seasons in the role of defensive coordinator for the Seahawks following the 2021 season. He had spent nine of the last 12 seasons as an assistant coach in Seattle with a three-year run as defensive coordinator of the Oakland Raiders in between.

Norton played his college football at UCLA from 1984-87 and became a finalist for the Butkus Award, which is given to the best linebacker in college football. Norton was named to the UCLA Hall of Fame in 1998.

Most of Norton's coaching career has been spent with Pete Carroll. He began as a linebackers coach on Carroll's staff at USC in 2004. After five years on staff at USC, Norton followed Carroll to Seattle to coach the linebackers for the Seahawks when Carroll was named head coach in 2010.

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Norton left the Seahawks after the 2014 season to take the Raiders defensive coordinator job. He returned to Seattle as the replacement at defensive coordinator for Kris Richard, who was let go following the 2017 season.

The Seahawks promoted Clint Hurtt into the defensive coordinator role in place of Norton. Hurtt has been with the team since 2017 as a defensive line coach and assistant head coach.

Norton was a second-round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 1988 and played 13 years in the NFL with the Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was a first-team All-Pro in 1995.

Norton is replacing Don Pellum in the role with UCLA. Pellum spent the last four seasons as a linebackers coach at UCLA. Outside of a three-year stint at Cal (1990-92), Pellum had spent the majority of his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Oregon. He had been with the school consecutively from 1993 until leaving for UCLA in 2018.

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