Richard Hightower enters his third season with the Washington Redskins in 2012. He is entering his third season coaching special teams, and in addition, he also earned the title of Assistant Defensive Backs Coach during the 2012 offseason.
In 2011, Hightower’s special teams unit ranked first in the NFC in kick return average allowed (20.8 yards) for the second consecutive season. Additionally, the unit ranked fifth in the NFC in opponents’ average starting position (21.8-yard line on kickoffs).
Richard Hightower enters his third season with the Washington Redskins in 2012. He is entering his third season coaching special teams, and in addition, he also earned the title of Assistant Defensive Backs Coach during the 2012 offseason.
In 2011, Hightower’s special teams unit ranked first in the NFC in kick return average allowed (20.8 yards) for the second consecutive season. Additionally, the unit ranked fifth in the NFC in opponents’ average starting position (21.8-yard line on kickoffs).
He also helped Brandon Banks become one of the league’s most consistent return specialists. Banks finished the season with career highs in kick returns and kick return yards with 51 kick returns for 1,174 yards, which led the NFL in both categories.
Hightower and Smith aided kicker Graham Gano, who finished the season with a career-high 31 field goals made, tied for the second-most in a single season in team history. During the season, Gano connected on a 59-yard field goal in Week 9 to set the Redskins record for longest field goal converted in franchise history.
Hightower and Smith helped guide punter Sav Rocca, who finished the season by tying a career-high in net punting average with 39.0, tied for the second-highest in franchise history (Matt Turk – 39.2) and he also tied a career-high of punts inside the 20-yard line with 28, seventh-most in a season in team history.
In 2010, with Hightower’s guidance, the Redskins finished second in the NFL in kickoff coverage allowing an average of 19 yards per return and 10th in punt return average with 10.8 yards. Banks established a single-game franchise record with 271 combined return yards against the Lions.
He joined the Redskins after spending one season as wide receivers coach at the University of Minnesota. At Minnesota, Hightower coached the Gophers’ Eric Decker, a First-Team All-Big Ten Selection before he was drafted in the third-round by the Denver Broncos.
Hightower began his coaching career with the Houston Texans in 2006 as a coaching assistant on Gary Kubiak's staff, where he assisted the defensive backs, the special teams, and handled various quality control duties before being promoted to Special Teams Assistant two years later.
Under Special Teams Coordinator Joe Marciano and Hightower, the Texans special teams unit was one of the most consistent and explosive in the NFL.
Kicker Kris Brown turned in the best season of his career, setting franchise records for most points (124), made field goals (29) and field goal percentage (.879).
Returner Jacoby Jones returned two punts for touchdowns, a franchise record, and finished third in the AFC with a 12.1-yard punt return average.
Punter Matt Turk broke his own franchise mark with a 42.3-yard average on a record-low 53 attempts.
Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Hightower spent two seasons in the Sales and Marketing department with the Texans.
A native of Houston, Hightower earned his BA in Marketing from the University of Texas where he was a three-year letterman and special teams standout for Longhorns.
He went to Austin as an academic scholar and later earned an athletic scholarship after walking on. Following his senior season, Mack Brown and his staff voted Hightower the D. Harold Byrd Leadership Award.
Hightower lives in Ashburn with his wife Lanet and son Jaxson.
