Ken Norton, Jr. with the San Francisco 49ers in 2000
St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk (28) dives over San Francisco 49ers safety Lance Schulters (30) as he scores a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter of a NFL game at 3Com Park in San Francisco October 29, 2000. The touchdown was Faulks' second of the day. Also in on the play are Rams running back Robert Holcombe (25), guard Tom Nutten (61) and 49ers linebacker Ken Norton, Jr. (51). REUTERS

Ken Norton Jr. has been named as the defensive coordinator of the Oakland Raiders in the latest coaching movement in the National Football League, or NFL.

The Raiders made the announcement on Friday tapping Norton Jr., who was the linebackers coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Norton Jr. was with the Seahawks when they lost to the New England Patriots, 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX last Sunday.

The move to Oakland will mean a reunion with new Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio, was was recently hired by the team early in this offseason. Both Norton Jr. and Del Rio were members of the Dallas Cowboys as linebackers from 1989 to 1991.

“Well, [Head Coach] Jack [Del Rio] and I are old friends. We’re old teammates from the early Dallas Cowboys days and we’ve certainly kept in contact over the years. I’ve been watching his career and obviously he’s been watching my career,” Norton said in the raiders.com conference call. “We’ve always talked about being able to put my time and energy and knowledge together as well as his and really come together and make a winner.” 
The official Twitter account of the Raiders also confirmed the news:

From his time with the Seahawks, Norton Jr. said that he expects a similar scheme to be adapted in Oakland by “out-hitting” and “out-hustling” opponents by being very aggressive defensively.

Norton Jr. was part of the Dallas Cowboys as linebacker from 1998 to 1993 and the San Francisco 49ers from 1994 to 2000. As a coach, Norton Jr. was the linebackers coach for the University of Souther California from 2004 to 2008 and the assistant coach for that school in 2009. He was the linebackers coach for the Seahawks from 2010 to 2014. Norton Jr. was influential in Seattle’s three NFC West division titles, two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl XLVIII title from 2010 to 2014.

Email j.gloria@IBTimes.com.au to contact author of this article.

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