Richard Hightower facts for kids
| Chicago Bears | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Special teams coordinator |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | September 15, 1980 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Harris County (TX) MacArthur |
| College: | Texas |
| Career history | |
| As coach: | |
|
|
Richard Hightower, born on September 15, 1980, is an American football coach. He currently works as the special teams coordinator for the Chicago Bears. The Bears are a team in the National Football League (NFL).
Contents
Early Life and Football Beginnings
Richard Hightower grew up in a family where his dad was a diesel mechanic. His mom worked as a medical technician at a blood bank.
When he was younger, he played quarterback in middle school. In high school, he switched to playing defensive back and wide receiver. His coaches thought he was too short to be a quarterback.
College Football Journey
Hightower attended the University of Texas on an academic scholarship. He joined the college football team as a "walk-on" player. This means he wasn't given a sports scholarship at first. He played as a wide receiver and on special teams. He was especially good on the kick coverage team.
During his time at Texas, he met Kyle Shanahan, who was also a walk-on. Hightower played in every game during his second and third years. In 2002, his senior year, coach Mack Brown gave scholarships to Hightower, Shanahan, and another special teams player, Michael Ungar. This was a big moment for them.
Hightower didn't play much in games, but he did recover a fumble in 2001 against Texas Tech. After his senior season, his coaches voted him the D. Harold Byrd Leadership Award winner. This award recognized his strong leadership skills.
After graduating in 2003 with a marketing degree, Hightower worked for a company called Link Staffing. He also had an internship in marketing with the Houston Texans for eight months.
Coaching Career Highlights
Starting in the NFL
In 2006, Hightower began his coaching career with the Houston Texans. He started as a coaching assistant under head coach Gary Kubiak. Later, he became an assistant coach for special teams.
In 2009, he moved to college football. He coached wide receivers at the University of Minnesota. He then returned to the NFL in 2010. He joined the Washington Redskins as an offensive quality control coach. Here, he reunited with his friend and former teammate, Kyle Shanahan. Shanahan was the team's offensive coordinator.
By 2013, Hightower had become the assistant special teams and defensive backs coach for Washington. After the 2013 season, most of Washington's coaching staff, including Hightower, were let go. He then followed Kyle Shanahan to the Cleveland Browns. There, he worked as an offensive quality control coach.
Moving Between Teams
Between 2015 and 2016, Hightower worked as an assistant special teams coach. He spent time with both the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears.
On February 17, 2017, he joined Kyle Shanahan again, this time with the San Francisco 49ers. He became their special teams coordinator. He stayed with the 49ers for five years. During this time, he helped them reach the playoffs twice. They even made it to Super Bowl LIV.
On February 6, 2022, Hightower returned to the Chicago Bears. He took on the role of special teams coordinator once more.
Recent Coaching Roles
In 2023, Hightower was the head coach for the East team in the 2024 East-West Shrine game. This is a special game where college football players show their skills before the NFL Draft. The West team won that game.
In 2024, the Bears made a change and fired their head coach, Matt Eberflus, during the season. However, Richard Hightower was the only coordinator who stayed with the team. This happened after the Bears hired Ben Johnson as their new head coach.
