Winston Moss
Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers

Entering his 20th season in the National Football League and third with the Packers, Winston Moss begins his second year in the role of assistant head coach/defense in 2008.

Named to the current post by Head Coach Mike McCarthy on Jan. 15, 2007, Moss continues to coach the linebackers as well, his original position upon joining the Packers in 2006.

In his role, the 42-year-old Moss is McCarthy's assistant in regards to concepts critical to winning. A natural leader, Moss uses the same philosophies he learned during an 11-year career as an NFL linebacker. His leadership skills impressed McCarthy when the two worked together for five seasons in New Orleans and again in 2006 in Green Bay.

Last season, Moss helped veteran Nick Barnett continue his progression from steady performer to true team leader with a Pro Bowl-caliber year. Barnett was named second-team All-Pro after leading the Packers in tackles for the fourth time in five seasons and posting a career-high 3 1/2 sacks along with two interceptions and numerous big plays late in games.

Moss continues to develop the talented A.J. Hawk, who earned All-Rookie honors in 2006 and led the team with 155 tackles. In addition, he oversees the maturation of Brady Poppinga through his conversion from a college defensive end into a solid linebacker.

This year, free-agent signee Brandon Chillar and the mix of Tracy White, Desmond Bishop and Abdul Hodge give Moss the most depth he's had to work with at the position.

Moss spent six seasons total with the Saints, where he also coached linebackers. There he worked closely with longtime NFL assistant Rick Venturi and former head coach and current defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams, Jim Haslett.

Originally hired by the Saints in 2000 as defensive assistant/quality control, he was promoted to linebackers coach near the end of that season to replace John Bunting, who departed to become head coach at the University of North Carolina.

Moss began his coaching career in 1998 as a defensive quality control assistant for the Seattle Seahawks, the club where he played his final NFL season.

A veteran of 155 NFL games (146 starts), the former linebacker played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987-90) and the Los Angeles Raiders (1991-94), in addition to the Seahawks (1995-97). Over the course of his career, Moss recorded 768 tackles, 20.5 sacks and six interceptions, and recovered one fumble for a TD.

In 1993, when he led the Raiders in tackles on a team that advanced to the AFC Divisional playoffs, he earned the Ed Block Courage Award after a vote of his teammates. Moss also was a three-time defensive captain and received the 1996 NFL Players' Association Unsung Hero Award while with the Seahawks.

A four-time letterman at the University of Miami (Fla.), he and current Packers scout Alonzo Highsmith helped the Hurricanes to the national championship after the 1983 season under Howard Schnellenberger.

As a prep, Moss attended Miami (Fla.) Southridge High School and was an all-state linebacker.

Born in Miami, Fla., Winston and his wife, Zoila, have three sons, Winston Jr., 14, Robert, 9, and Marcus, 6, and two daughters, Victoria, 13, and infant Isabella. In his spare time, Moss enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.

MOSS AT A GLANCE

* Joined Packers Jan. 19, 2006, as linebackers coach and was named assistant head coach/linebackers on Jan. 15, 2007.
* A standout NFL linebacker for 11 years, played 155 games (146 starts) with three clubs: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987-90), Los Angeles Raiders (1991-94) and Seattle Seahawks (1995-97).
* Selected by Tampa Bay as the second of two second-round picks in the 1987 draft, shortly after the Bucs took college teammate Vinny Testaverde No. 1 overall.
* Played with Lionel Washington, now Packers defensive nickel/cornerbacks coach, for four seasons with the Raiders.
* Lettered four years at the University of Miami (Fla.).

COACHING BACKGROUND:

Year College/Pro Team Position Coached
1998 Seattle Seahawks Defensive Quality Control
2000 New Orleans Saints Def. Assistant/Quality Control
2000-05 New Orleans Saints Linebackers
2006 Green Bay Packers Linebackers
2007-08 Green Bay Packers Asst. Head Coach/Linebackers

I more so attribute the struggles of A.J. Hawk to being injured and out of position this year. I really believe once moved back to his natural positions he's going to be a big time player. Much like Nick Collins developed in his fourth season, I expect Hawk to do so as well once utilized properly. Of course it all depends on what's around him too.

The linebackers are a talented group of players suffering because of the defensive lineman in front of them. Chances are if your tackles are getting lit up like Green Bay's are, your linebackers aren't going to fare much better because teams are able to put a guard or a tackle on a backer. That's not how a defensive scheme is meant to be. You don't want the tackles running free to get a hand on your backers. I've seen that more this year.

Last year, Nick Barnett had a Pro Bowl year and by far his best season of his career under the watch of Winston Moss. The biggest difference from last year to this year is the play of the Packers defensive line which I attribute to the lackluster coaching of Bob Sanders. Ray Lewis thrives because of the play of Haloti Ngata. Brian Urlacher does because of the play of Tommie Harris. Jon Beason a similar player to Barnett is thriving in Carolina because Carolina's tackles are doing an above average job. Yet, Green Bay's tackles have been below average. They're not even average.

Some people believe in gutting the linebackers as well and finding a new MLB and SLB. I'm not one of them. I think it's the defensive line and I think if you fix that, the defense as a whole is better.

The only way to fix that is bring in good players. I like Colin Cole, but I believe Green Bay needs an impact tackle. Whether it be Albert Haynesworth or Tyson Jackson via the NFL draft. You force teams team have to put a man or two on your tackle and you'll open things up for the linebackers to make plays. That's what those two guys are capable of. Pickett and Jolly aren't and they're soft or have played soft this year.

I also believe the Packers need an aggressive defensive coordinator. Winston Moss, I believe would be that. Not just because of his playing days, but also the way the Packers linebackers play. They're anything but a laid back bunch. I actually think they're a little to aggressive at times, but I rather have a team that is to aggressive than a team that is to laid back. Bob Sanders has made the Packers into a laid back team with lack of creativity. Moss whom I believe will be an NFL Head Coach one day just is the opposite of that.

Though if they really want to shake things up. Mike Singletary was on the 49ers staff with Mike McCarthy once upon a time. If the 49ers don't hang onto Singletary as the Head Coach, perhaps Mike McCarthy will look into bringing him into the fold. An old Bear coaching the Packers. That would be interesting.

EDIT: I also like Lionel Washington too.

"porky88" wrote:

Regardless of who it should be, I think we can all agree Bob Sanders isn't the right man for the job.

"porky88" wrote: