ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After 17 seasons with the Broncos, former Assistant Special Teams Coach Keith Burns' career has taken him elsewhere.

Burns, who played 11 seasons and coached for six more in Denver, has been named the new special teams coordinator of the Washington Redskins.

"To be able to move on and get a coordinator role, obviously that's a larger umbrella as far as things you're responsible for, and that's awesome for him," Broncos Special Teams Coordinator Jeff Rodgers said. "That's where he's from, he'll be closer with his family -- just an ideal situation and fit for him."

During his playing days, Burns earned a reputation as one of the league's top special teamers. He either led or tied for the team lead in special-teams tackles seven times -- totaling 186 special-teams stops in 166 career games.

The two-time Super Bowl champion followed that up by jumping into the coaching ranks in 2007, keeping his focus on special teams.

For his first two years as a coach, Burns served as special teams assistant under then-Head Coach Mike Shanahan, now Washington's head coach.

"Keith was an excellent special teams player and a strong influence in the locker room for two Super Bowl championship teams," Shanahan said, via Redskins.com. "I know our players will enjoy playing for him."

Overall, Burns has worked with special teams units that have accounted for 10 return touchdowns and three blocked kicks. In his six-year Denver coaching tenure, the Broncos have posted the sixth-best punt return average in the NFL in addition to the most touchbacks on kickoffs in the league.

He has coached five players to eight AFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards, including current Broncos Matt Prater and Trindon Holliday.

Prater was also named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month, one of two players Burns has coached to receive that honor.

Burns' new role in Washington is his first as a coordinator.