Josh Norman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Josh Norman

Norman with the Washington Redskins in 2018
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	(1987-12-15) December 15, 1987 (age 37) Greenwood, South Carolina, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:	Greenwood
College:	Coastal Carolina (2008–2011)
NFL Draft:	2012 / Round: 5 / Pick: 143
Career history
Carolina Panthers (2012) Washington Redskins (2016) Buffalo Bills (2020) San Francisco 49ers (2021) Carolina Panthers (2022) Buffalo Bills (2023)
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-Pro (2015) Pro Bowl (2015) First-team FCS All-American (2011) 3× first-team All-Big South (2009–2011)
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles: 501 Forced fumbles: 20 Fumble recoveries: 7 Pass deflections: 88 Interceptions: 16 Defensive touchdowns: 3
Player stats at PFR

Joshua Ricardo Norman (born December 15, 1987) is an American football player. He plays as a cornerback, which is a defensive position. Josh has played for several teams in the NFL, including the Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers.

He was once known as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Besides football, Josh also competed on the TV show Dancing with the Stars in 2018. He finished in second place during that season.

Early life and high school football

Josh Norman grew up in Greenwood, South Carolina. He went to Greenwood High School. There, he played football with other future NFL players. These included Armanti Edwards and D. J. Swearinger.

In 2006, Josh was a special player. He played both offense and defense for his high school team. That year, his team won the South Carolina State Championship. He was named an All-State football player. He also played in the North-South All-Star Game. Josh also played basketball, baseball, and ran track in high school. Even with all his success, he did not get scholarship offers from top college teams.

College football career

Josh started his college journey at Horry Georgetown Tech. He lived with his brother, Marrio Norman. Marrio had a football scholarship to Coastal Carolina University.

In 2008, Josh was offered a spot on the Coastal Carolina team. He joined as a "walk-on," meaning he didn't have a scholarship at first. He later earned a scholarship. Josh studied communications and dramatic arts in college.

Freshman year (2008)

In his first year, Josh played in all 12 games. He started 7 of them. In his first start, he got his first interception. He made 35 tackles that year. He also defended 9 passes and had 2 interceptions. He was named Big South Freshman of the Week once. After this good season, Coastal Carolina gave him a scholarship.

Sophomore year (2009)

As a sophomore, Josh was named a third-team All-American. He also made the first-team All-Big South. He set a league record with 8 interceptions. This tied him for second-most in the nation. He also led the league with 15 pass breakups. He was named Big South Defensive Player of the Week. He even tied a Big South record with 3 interceptions in one game.

Junior and senior years (2010-2011)

Josh continued to play well in his junior year. He was again named first-team All-Big South. He made 56 tackles and defended 9 passes. In 2011, he was named a preseason All-American. He was also listed as one of the top defensive backs.

By the end of his college career, Josh had 11 interceptions. He also had 23 pass breakups. Both numbers were among the best in Coastal Carolina history.

Professional football career

Joining the NFL (2012)

After college, Josh impressed scouts at special events. These included the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl. He showed off his skills by intercepting many passes.

The Carolina Panthers picked Josh in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He was the 143rd player chosen overall. He was one of only a few players drafted from Coastal Carolina. In May 2012, he signed a four-year contract with the Panthers.

Carolina Panthers (2012–2015)

Josh started his first NFL game in 2012. He made 73 tackles and had one interception in his rookie year. He played in all 16 games.

In 2013, Josh had a tougher season. He played in only 7 games and didn't start any. He was sometimes benched.

However, in 2014, Josh started to shine. He became a key player for the Panthers. He showed he could cover the best wide receivers. He held top players like Jeremy Maclin and Julio Jones to low yards. He finished the season with 48 tackles and 2 interceptions. The Panthers made the playoffs that year.

The 2015 season was Josh Norman's best. He started strong with an interception returned for a touchdown. He was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September. He had 4 interceptions in the first four weeks. Quarterbacks had a very low passer rating when throwing his way.

He had a famous matchup with Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants. It was a very intense game. Both players received penalties. This game even led to a new NFL rule. The rule says two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls in one game mean an automatic ejection.

Josh was chosen for his first Pro Bowl that season. He was also named First-team All-Pro. He helped the Panthers reach Super Bowl 50. They lost to the Denver Broncos, but Josh played well. After the season, he was ranked 11th among all NFL players.

Washington Redskins (2016–2019)

In 2016, Josh signed a big contract with the Washington Redskins. It was a five-year, $75 million deal. This made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history at the time.

He continued to play well for the Redskins. He had 67 tackles and 3 interceptions in 2016. He also had another notable game against Odell Beckham Jr.. In 2017, he suffered a lung injury and a fractured rib. He missed some games because of it.

In 2018, Josh had 3 more interceptions. He made a key interception against his former team, the Panthers. In 2019, his playing time decreased. He was released by the Redskins in February 2020.

Later career (2020–present)

Josh signed with the Buffalo Bills in March 2020. He made an immediate impact. In his first game, he forced and recovered a fumble. He also scored his first touchdown as a Bill with an interception return.

In 2021, he joined the San Francisco 49ers. He had a career-high 7 forced fumbles that year.

He returned to the Carolina Panthers practice squad in December 2022. He played in two games for them. In October 2023, he signed with the Buffalo Bills practice squad again. His contract ended after the Bills' season in January 2024.

NFL career statistics

Regular Season

Postseason

Personal life and interests

Josh Norman has Native American heritage from both his parents. While playing for the Redskins, he appeared in local TV commercials.

In September 2017, Josh donated $100,000 to help with recovery efforts. This was after Hurricane Maria caused damage in Puerto Rico.

In 2018, Josh was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. He danced with professional Sharna Burgess. They made it to the finals and finished as the runner-up. He also played in a celebrity softball game during the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game event.

Josh is a big fan of soccer. He supports famous teams like Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain. In 2020, Josh attended a press conference in Buffalo. He was there with other community leaders. They discussed changes to the Buffalo Police Department.

Images for kids

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  Norman covering Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant in 2017

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  Norman making an interception against the Panthers in 2018

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  Norman in a game against the New York Jets

See also

In Spanish: Josh Norman para niños