Winston Moss
Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers
11th NFL Season
Fourth Packers Season
Entering his 22nd season in the National Football League and fourth with the Packers, Winston Moss begins his third year in the role of assistant head coach with inside linebacker responsibilities for the first time in '09.
Named to the current post by Head Coach Mike McCarthy on Jan. 15, 2007, Moss impressed McCarthy with his leadership skills when the two worked together for five seasons in New Orleans and again in 2006 in Green Bay. The 43-year-old Moss continues to coach the linebackers as well, his original duty upon joining the Packers. His position responsibility was modified to inside linebackers this year with the switch to a 3-4 defense and the addition of outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene to the staff in 2009.
In 2008, with the addition of free-agent signee Brandon Chillar and the continued development of Desmond Bishop, Moss had his deepest linebacking corps in Green Bay to date, and it was needed when veteran Nick Barnett was lost for the season to a knee injury in Week 10. A.J. Hawk made a rather seamless transition to middle linebacker to fill Barnett's spot, while Bishop and Chillar both contributed at Hawk's former weak-side position.
The previous year, Moss helped 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 sacks along with two interceptions and numerous big plays late in games.
Meanwhile, Moss continues to develop the talented Hawk, who earned All-Rookie honors in 2006 when he led the team with 155 tackles. He's also overseen the maturation of Brady Poppinga through his conversion from a college defensive end into a solid strong-side linebacker, a responsibility that now falls to Greene in his new role.
Moss spent six seasons total with the Saints, where he also coached linebackers. 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 11 seasons and 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 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., 15, Robert, 10, and Marcus, 7, and two daughters, Victoria, 14, and Isabella, 1. In his spare time, Moss enjoys spending time with his family and playing golf.