Keith Burns (linebacker) facts for kids

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

Early Life and High School Years

Keith Burns was born in Greeleyville, South Carolina. His mother, Tracy, raised him in Alexandria, Virginia. 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 Career

Keith Burns started his college football journey at Navarro Junior College. This college is located in Corsicana, Texas. He was a standout player there. He earned first-team JuCo All-America honors. In his second year, he had six sacks. He also made three interceptions and 192 tackles.

After Navarro, Burns moved to Oklahoma State for the 1992–1993 season. He quickly made a big impact. He recorded 126 tackles, 5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. After just four games, his teammates voted him team captain. He was also named the Big Eight Conference's Defensive Newcomer of the Year. Before his final year, many teams named him to pre-season All-America lists. The Sporting News even ranked him as the top inside linebacker. He was part of the All-Big Eight team in both of his years at Oklahoma State.

Professional Playing Career

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 mostly played as a backup linebacker. He was also a very important player on special teams.

He spent the 1999 season with the Chicago Bears. Then, in the 2004 season, 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. He started only 3 of those games. He made 231 special-teams tackles. He also had 77 defensive stops, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and three pass breakups. He also forced one fumble.

NFL Career Statistics

Here are some of Keith Burns's statistics from his NFL playing career.

Coaching Career Highlights

On March 27, 2007, the Broncos announced that Burns would retire as a player. He would then become the Special Teams Captain and coach. In 2011, he was given the title of Assistant Special Teams Coach.

On February 11, 2013, the Washington Redskins hired Burns. He became their Special Teams Coordinator. This move meant he would work again with Mike Shanahan. Shanahan was his coach in Denver and gave Burns his first coaching job. In his first year as a coordinator, the Redskins' Special Teams had some challenges. They finished last in the league in points compared to the average. After less than a year, Keith Burns was let go by the Washington Redskins. This happened on December 30, 2013, along with Mike Shanahan.

Personal Life and Family

Keith Burns met his wife, Michelle, while they were in college. They have three children together. Their oldest daughter, Danielle, is a talented basketball player. She played for Fordham University. Danielle earned her master's degree very quickly. She finished her bachelor's degree in just three years. His other daughter, Rachel, is also a college basketball player. She plays for Charleston Southern. His son, Keith, is currently in high school. In his free time, Keith Burns has even performed stand-up comedy shows.