Former T.C. Williams Standout Overseeing Redskins Special Teams

Keith Burns, a 1990 graduate of T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, will be roaming the sidelines this fall with the Washington Redskins.

If the team can keep a healthy quarterback, Burns could be in line for a third Super Bowl ring.

The Redskins hired Burns as their special teams coach in February, replacing Danny Smith.

The 41-year-old Greeleyville, S.C., native has longtime ties with Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, who coached Burns for 10 seasons with the Denver Broncos and later brought him in as a coach in the Mile-High City.

“Keith was an excellent special teams player and a strong influence in the locker room for two Super Bowl championship teams,” Shanahan said in a press release. “I know our players will enjoy playing for him.”

Burns, a linebacker, played 11 NFL seasons coming out of Oklahoma State. Considered one of the best special teams players of his era, Burns led or tied for the Denver lead in special teams tackles seven times. He totaled 186 special teams stops in 166 career games as well as 70 defensive tackles, 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble and helped the Broncos to victories in Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII.

Burns lettered in football, basketball and baseball while a student at T.C. Williams High School.

“My message to the guys is you can have a long career in the kicking game, but if you came in the NFL to have your name in the headlines and jerseys in the store, that’s not for everybody,” Burns told The Washington Post earlier this month. “You can play special teams, enjoy it and play it with a passion. That’s all I ask for. We’re looking for consistency more than anything. We’re never going to be asked to win or lose a game, but we definitely will be asked not to mess it up.”

The Redskins play host to the Buffalo Bills at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24 in their next preseason game. The Redskins open the regular season on Sept. 9 when they host the Philadelphia Eagles.