SEATTLE -- On a personal level, the decision to fire defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. had to be brutal for Pete Carroll.
The Seattle Seahawks coach is known for loyalty to his assistants and has long had a particular affinity for Norton, once calling him one of the favorite people he's worked with during his coaching career. The two go back to the mid-90s, when Norton was an All-Pro linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers while Carroll was their defensive coordinator. Norton worked under Carroll for 15 of the past 18 seasons dating back to their time at USC.