Former HBCU, NFL Player Robert Massey Becomes Winston-Salem State's Head Coach

Former HBCU star and NFL player was offered the position as head football coach of Winston-Salem State University.

Former HBCU star and NFL player was offered the position as head football coach of Winston-Salem State University.

Robert Massey, WSSU Head Coach; Credit: WSSU Athletics

Robert Massey, 56, is a North Carolina Central University alum who has been promoted from the interim head coach (7-12 record since 2019) to full-time head football coach of the Winston-Salem State Rams. Massey has been a professional player and assistant coach. He also became an excellent high school and collegiate coach.

After a nationwide search, Winston-Salem State offered Massey the position with nearly 40 candidates interested in the role. WSSU board of trustees offered him a new four-year contract which includes a $90,000 per year salary.

“I’m humbled to be in this position, and I’m grateful,” Massey said in the news conference announcing the choice to be the 10th head football coach in the storied history of the school. “I don’t take this opportunity lightly and we are going to work hard to get us back to where we belong.”

The New Orleans Saints selected Massey in the second round of the 1989 NFL Draft. Mass was a starter at cornerback from 1989 to 1990 for New Orleans.

Massey started 32 games in two seasons, intercepted five passes, recovered two fumbles, and made 165 tackles with the Black and Gold before joining the then Phoenix Cardinals from 1991 to 1993.

After stints with Detroit (1994-95), Jacksonville (1996), and New York (1997), Massey entered coaching with the Giants and left to become head coach at Hillside High School from 1999-2002.

NCCU hired him as its receivers and defensive backs coach from 2003-2004.

Later, Massey was an assistant coach in the HBCU ranks with Shaw University and Winston-Salem State University to help both programs win a combined four CIAA Football Championships.

One interesting point about Massey's leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic was that his team maintained an accumulated 3.0-grade point average.

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