WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Chris Hairston, a former NFL offensive lineman and Clemson standout, has joined Tory Woodbury’s coaching staff at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU).
Hairston is set to become the new offensive line coach. He spent the last three seasons coaching at Rocky River High School in Charlotte. Now he becomes part of Woodbury’s effort to restore the WSSU football program — an HBCU with a proud history and strong community ties. Like Woodbury, Hairston is a Winston-Salem native who has traveled the football world and now returns to invest in the place that shaped him.
Hairston didn’t need much convincing.
“When I heard the news on Instagram, I knew I had to be here,” Hairston said during Woodbury’s introductory press conference. “This is a new, exciting era for Winston-Salem State. I’m excited for it, and I know a lot of things are going to change.”
Though Hairston played his college football at Clemson before carving out a professional career with the Buffalo Bills and San Diego Chargers, his connection to Woodbury and WSSU predates any recruiting rankings or draft boards. He remembers watching Woodbury play as a child, seeing firsthand what success at the local HBCU level looked like. Woodbury later coached on the Carver High School staff when Hairston was a player.
“My memories start when I was a kid coming over here to watch him play,” Hairston said. “He’s always been somebody in the community who reached back. He’s been an inspiration to a lot of people — myself included.”
That theme — authenticity and community impact — stood out as Hairston described why Woodbury’s return resonated so deeply.
“He’s been a lot of places and had a lot of success in football,” Hairston said. “But even before that, he touched a lot of young folks around here. You can’t replace that. That’s not something that can be faked.”
Hairston’s addition strengthens a staff already built on familiarity, shared experience, and local investment. Both men bring NFL backgrounds, but both emphasized that their focus now is on development — not just of players, but of the program as a whole.
“It’s just a new day,” Hairston said. “Excited to see how it progresses.”
For WSSU, the hire represents more than a coaching move. It signals a deliberate effort to rebuild with people who understand the city, the culture, and the expectations that come with representing a historic HBCU.