Winston-Salem State had decided to stay close to home with its head coaching search.
Robert Massey has had the interim tag removed from his name after over 960 days. Massey has been introduced as the 10th head coach in program history.
Massey’s contract – approved by the board of trustees – is worth $90,000 per year for four years.
This is Massey’s third head coaching position within the CIAA. He has been head coach at Livingstone College and Shaw University. He has an overall record of 23-56 as a head coach, including a 7-12 record as the interim head coach in 2019 and 2021.
Massey spent 10 years in the National Football League (NFL) prior to returning to North Carolina to become Head coach at Hillside High School (1999-2002). He then returned to his alma mater, North Carolina Central University (NCCU) to coach receivers and defensive backs (2003 — 2004). Coach Massey was instrumental in winning four Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Football Championships 2007, 2008 — DBs Shaw University, 2010 Defensive Coordinator Shaw University, 2016 WSSU defensive backs.
As a player, he had a successful collegiate career at North Carolina Central University and finished third on the Eagles’ career interceptions list. He served as team captain and earned All-CIAA honors as both a junior and a senior. He also received All-American honors as a senior.
In 1989, Massey was drafted in the second round of the National Football League (NFL) by the New Orleans Saints, and was named to the 1989 NFL All-Rookie Team. Massey was later selected to the 1992 Pro Bowl as a member of the Phoenix Cardinals.
Each of the previous five head football coaches at Winston-Salem State (Kienus Boulware, Connell Maynor, Kermit Blount, Pete Richardson and Bill Hayes) have all won multiple championships. Massey is now on the clock.