Keith Burns (linebacker) facts for kids

Keith Bernard Burns (born May 16, 1972) is an American football coach and former professional player. He played as a linebacker and a special teams player. He also worked as a special teams coordinator for the Washington Redskins in the National Football League (NFL).

Growing Up and High School Years

Keith Burns was born in Greeleyville, South Carolina. He grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, with his mother, Tracy. He was the youngest of four children in his family.

In 1990, Keith graduated from T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria. He was a talented athlete there. He earned three varsity letters in football. He also earned two letters in basketball and one in baseball.

College Football Journey

Keith Burns started his college football career at Navarro College, a junior college in Corsicana, Texas. He was an outstanding player there. He earned first-team JuCo All-America honors. In his second year, he had six sacks, three interceptions, and 192 tackles.

After Navarro, Burns transferred to Oklahoma State for the 1992–1993 seasons. He quickly made a big impact. In his first year, he recorded 126 tackles (102 solo), 5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. He was even voted team captain after playing only four games. He was also named the Big Eight Conference's Defensive Newcomer of the Year. Before his final year, he was considered one of the best inside linebackers in the country. He was named to the All-Big Eight team in both of his years at Oklahoma State.

Playing in the NFL

The Denver Broncos picked Keith Burns in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL draft. He was the 210th player chosen overall. He played for the Broncos for most of his thirteen-year career. He was mainly a reserve linebacker and a very important player on special teams.

He also played one season with the Chicago Bears in 1999. In 2004, he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Keith Burns won two Super Bowl championships with the Denver Broncos. During his entire NFL career, he played in 197 games, starting 3 of them. He made 231 special-teams tackles. He also had 77 defensive stops, 1.5 sacks, one interception, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble.

Coaching Career

After his playing days, Keith Burns became a coach. On March 27, 2007, the Broncos announced he would retire as a player. He then became an Assistant Special Teams Coach for the team. He held this role until 2012.

On February 11, 2013, the Washington Redskins hired Burns as their Special Teams Coordinator. This move reunited him with Mike Shanahan, who was his coach in Denver. Shanahan had also given Burns his first coaching job. However, the Redskins' special teams faced challenges during the 2013 season. Keith Burns was dismissed by the Washington Redskins on December 30, 2013. Mike Shanahan was also let go at the same time.

Since then, Burns has continued his coaching career. He was an Assistant Special Teams Coach for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2018 to 2020. In 2020, he became the Special Teams Coordinator for the Chargers. As of 2021, he is the Special Teams Coordinator for the Tennessee State football team.

Personal Life

Keith Burns met his wife, Michelle, while they were in college. They have three children together. Their oldest daughter, Danielle, was a star basketball player for Fordham University. She earned her master's degree in just four years. Their other daughter, Rachel, is currently a member of the Charleston Southern basketball team. Their son, Keith, is still in high school. In his free time, Keith Burns has performed stand-up comedy routines.