Keith Burns is in his fourth year as a member of the Tennessee State University football coaching staff, serving as the Special Teams Coordinator and defensive specialist.
Burns was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round (#210 overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft. A key reserve linebacker and special teams player, Burns spent most of his 13-year career with the Broncos, winning two Super Bowls. He also played for the Chicago Bears in 1999 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004. Over his NFL career, Burns played 197 games (3 starts), with 231 special-teams tackles, 77 defensive stops, 1.5 sacks, one interception, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble.
On March 27, 2007, Burns retired as Special Teams Captain and began coaching special teams, later serving as Assistant Special Teams Coach for the Broncos in 2011. He joined the Washington Redskins as Special Teams Coordinator on February 11, 2013, reuniting with former Denver coach Mike Shanahan.
Burns began his football career at Navarro Junior College in Texas, earning first-team JUCO All-America honors with six sacks, three interceptions, and 192 tackles. He transferred to Oklahoma State for the 1992-93 season, making an immediate impact with 126 tackles, five sacks, and three forced fumbles. He was named the Big Eight Conference’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year and ranked the No. 1 inside linebacker by The Sporting News.
