What is Ken Norton Jr.’s Net Worth?
Kenneth Howard Norton Jr., a retired American football player and coach, has a net worth of $8 million. Norton Jr. played as a linebacker in the National Football League for over a decade, from 1988 to 2000. During his career, he won three consecutive Super Bowl titles from 1993 to 1995, two with the Dallas Cowboys and one with the San Francisco 49ers.
After retiring from playing, Norton Jr. became a coach in the NFL and led the Seattle Seahawks to victory in Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.
Early Life and Education
Ken Norton Jr. was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, on September 29, 1966, to former world champion heavyweight boxer Ken Norton Sr. and Jeannette Henderson. He grew up in Los Angeles and attended Westchester High School, where he played football as a running back.
Ken Norton Jr played football for the UCLA Bruins from 1984 to 1987 as a linebacker. He helped lead the team to four consecutive bowl game wins. Norton was the team’s defensive MVP in 1987 and led the team in tackles in both 1986 and 1987. He was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame in 1998.
Ken Norton Jr’s NFL Career
In the 1988 NFL Draft, Norton was chosen in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys. He spent most of his first season on the injured reserve list with a broken thumb. Norton’s breakout season came in 1992 when he became the leader of the Cowboys’ defense and helped them win Super Bowl XXVII. He also began his signature goal post punching celebration that season. Despite a torn biceps in 1993, Norton led the Cowboys in tackles and helped them win another Super Bowl title.
Due to the NFL’s salary cap in 1994, the Cowboys let talented players like Norton leave via free agency instead of signing them to long-term contracts. Norton joined several other players in leaving the team.
Kenneth Howard Norton Jr.’s NFL Career
Ken Norton Jr. joined the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent in 1994 and won Super Bowl XXIX in his first season with the team. He made history as the first player to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles. Norton played for the 49ers until 2000 and then retired from playing.
After retiring from playing, Norton began coaching football. He served as a linebackers coach at the University of Southern California from 2004 to 2009. During his time there, Norton helped recruit future NFL linebackers like Lofa Tatupu, Keith Rivers, Clay Matthews III, and Brian Cushing. He was even promoted to assistant head coach in his final year at USC.
Super Bowl Victory with Seattle Seahawks
In 2010, Norton became the linebackers coach for the Seattle Seahawks, where he worked with former USC protégé Lofa Tatupu. In 2014, Norton played a key role in the team’s victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Ken Norton Jr. as Defensive Coordinator for Oakland Raiders
From 2015 to 2017, Ken Norton Jr. served as the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders. In that position, he helped outside linebacker Khalil Mack win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award following the 2016 season.
However, just two days after the Raiders suffered a 33-8 loss to the New England Patriots in late 2017, Norton was fired from the team by head coach Jack Del Rio.
Ken Norton Jr. Fired as Seahawks Defensive Coordinator
Kenneth Darrell Norton Jr., commonly known as Ken Norton Jr., returned to Seattle in 2018 to become the defensive coordinator for the Seahawks. He held that position for four seasons before being fired at the end of the 2021 season. Norton’s termination came as the Seahawks failed to make the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons, with the team finishing with a record of 7-10.
Norton Returns to UCLA as Linebackers Coach
Ken Norton Jr returned to his alma mater UCLA in early 2022 to become the linebackers coach for the Bruins. He joined the staff under head coach Chip Kelly.
Family of Ken Norton Jr.
Ken Norton Jr. and his wife Angela have three children. Their names are Brittney, Sabrina, and Ken III.
