NAPA – Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio was an All-Pro NFL middle linebacker with more than 100 starts. Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. was al All-Pro NFL middle linebacker who was a three-time Super Bowl champion.
They’ve exchanged helmets for headsets these days, but their knowledge of the position hasn’t waned.
That means expectations are high for the man they let man the middle. Curtis Lofton spends every day under a watchful eye. He’s the thick-skinned, hard-nosed type who can handle scrutiny, and has experience to back up his opinions. After all, the man has started 111 games in seven seasons and had at least 118 tackles six straight years.