Keith Burns played for the Broncos for 11 seasons and coached them for six seasons. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Special teams for the Denver Broncos last season was, well, special. Ex-Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan took notice and recruited his former player and assistant coach over to the Washington Redskins.

According to Mike Jones and Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the Redskins have reached an agreement with special teams assistant Keith Burns. This will be Burns’ first job as a head position coach.

Burns was with the Broncos for six seasons, first as a special teams assistant, then as a coaching assistant, and then as the assistant special teams coach.

Before his coaching days, Burns played in the NFL for 13 years with 11 of those seasons coming as a Bronco. He was a celebrated special teams player, and entered the league as a seventh-round draft pick in 1994 out of Oklahoma State University. Burns played in 197 career games, and totaled 231 special-teams tackles as well as 77 career defensive stops, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble.

Burns helped the Broncos earn three AFC West titles, and he was a key member of the Broncos Super Bowl teams in 1997 and 1998.

As a coach, Burns has worked with units that have accounted for 10 touchdown returns, and three blocked punts. He’s coached five players who have totaled eight AFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards.

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

Burns is well-deserving of this coaching promotion, and should do very well with the Redskins. Best of luck to one of the most loyal Broncos of all time.

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Clinton Portis runs with the ball as Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Jay Ratliff (90) and linebacker Victor Butler (57) chase. (Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE)

Former Denver Broncos running back Clinton Portis has announced his retirement at the age of 30.

Portis played for the Broncos for two seasons (2002-2003), and had 3,099 yards (5.5 yards per carry), 29 rushing touchdowns, and just 4 fumbles during his time with Denver. He also added 71 receptions for 678 receiving yards, and 2 receiving touchdowns.

Portis was the last Bronco to rush for over 200 yards in a game. That 218 yard, 5 touchdown performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2003 will be a game that I’ll always remember.

Portis was traded to the Washington Redskins in a deal that brought Champ Bailey to Denver. The deal also gave the Broncos a second round draft pick in the 2004 draft in which they would select running back Tatum Bell.

Portis played for the Redskins for seven seasons. He missed the 2011 season after drawing no interest from other teams. His last season in the NFL produced 227 yards on 54 attempts and 2 touchdowns. That was also the first season that Mike Shanahan, the coach who traded Portis away, was the head coach for the Redskins.

Portis will walk away from the sport with 9,923 career rushing yards which is 27th on the all-time rushing list. He was a Pro Bowler twice (2003 and 2008), and he was the league’s offensive rookie of the year in 2002.

Portis will retire a Washington Redskin. His press conference will be held on Thursday and it will be attended by owner Dan Snyder and Mike Shanahan.

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Former Denver Bronco wide receiver Rod Smith talks to John Elway on the sidelines during training camp in 2011. (Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE)

On September 17th, 1995, the Denver Broncos enjoyed another typical Sunday afternoon at Mile High Stadium. Typical, at least, by their standards when John Elway was the quarterback.

A back and forth game full of big swings came to a 31-31 tie with time winding down in the 4th quarter. In classic Elway fashion, the Broncos waited until the very end to take the lead for good. They found themselves at the Washington Redskins’ 43 yard line with time remaining for only a single play. First year Coach Mike Shanahan decided to forgo the long field goal try and instead let Elway heave it to the end zone. As the clock hit triple zeroes, the Elway bomb found its way down the left sideline and into the arms of a leaping Rod Smith who landed in the end zone for the winning score. It was an epic finish and one that all Broncos fans will always remember.

I was lucky enough to be in the stands that day, and I can clearly recall several fans asking who had caught the touchdown after the celebration calmed down. Many people simply didn’t recognize the guy who caught the ball, and who could blame them? That touchdown just happened to be the first pass Rod Smith had ever caught in an NFL game.

It may have been the first time that some Broncos fans took notice of Rod Smith, but he made sure it wouldn’t be the last. He went on to have a long and illustrious career with Denver that included 849 catches, 11,389 yards, 70 total touchdowns, and 2 Super Bowl championships. To top it all off, Broncos’ owner Pat Bowlen announced last week that Rod Smith has been elected to the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame. He will be the 24th member of that prestigious group and he will be inducted during halftime of the game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, September 23rd.

Smith was an undrafted rookie in 1994 out of Missouri Southern. He spent his first season on the Broncos practice squad before his hard work earned him a spot in the lineup during the 1995 campaign. That also happened to be the first season on the sidelines for Head Coach Mike Shanahan, and the timing couldn’t have worked out any better. Smith would become an integral piece of the Shanahan offensive machine and he thrived in that system for his entire 12 year career.

Rod Smith holds almost every single receiving record in franchise history and he’s in the top 25 all-time in receptions and receiving yards. His legacy, however, is more defined by his hard work, attitude, and leadership skills. Smith never took anything for granted after going undrafted and he became the ultimate team-first player in an era that was full of diva wide receivers. He was a perfect fit at the wide receiver position for a Denver offense that included weapons such as Terrell Davis, John Elway, and Shannon Sharpe. Together, that impressive group of talented players would lead the Broncos organization to heights previously unknown.

There are very few players out there like Rod Smith and I am so proud that he played for the Denver Broncos. He is very deserving of the honor and I don’t believe it could be bestowed upon a better person. He will always be remembered as a Broncos legend, and now he takes his rightful place in the Ring of Fame.

Congratulations Rod! Go Broncos!

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