Redskins' Norman defends decision to take TV gig

Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman raised some eyebrows earlier this week when he shared the news that he'll be joining FOX's NFL pregame coverage.

The surprise move became all the more interesting when head coach Jay Gruden indicated that he wasn't aware of an such arrangement, but has now spoken out in defense of the new gig.

"It's my off time. I can do whatever I choose," Norman told ESPN's Dianna Russini. "I'm around my horse all the time, nobody says anything about that. Everybody [is] like, 'Ohh great.'"

Norman explained that taking a TV role made sense for setting up his career away from the playing field, and that discussing football makes for an easy transition.

The one-year contract requires that the star cornerback make a minimum of 10 appearances throughout the year. As for the idea that such a commitment could interfere with his regular job, Norman explained that his TV hits will be filmed before game days.

"We are not even shooting Sundays," Norman said. "Let's get it together: We are not shooting, we are playing football. This is pre-taped before, obviously; I'll go to (the) studio once or twice. It's in my bye week.

"I play football. I'm a football player. I have a job playing football. This is something I do in my off time. It's cool. I'm appreciative of my team and organization. They obviously knew about it (and) had to sign off on it."

Norman landed a five-year, $75-million contract to join the Redskins this offseason after the Carolina Panthers made the shocking decision to rescind his franchise tag.

The 28-year-old, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod after a dominant 2015 campaign, will have an integral role in shoring up a defense that ranked 25th against the pass last year.