ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - The Washington Redskins have hired Keith Burns to be their special teams coordinator.

The Redskins announced Tuesday that the 40-year-old Burns will replace Danny Smith, who left last month to join the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Burns spent the last six seasons as the assistant special teams coach of the Denver Broncos. He also spent 11 of his 13 seasons as a standout special teams player with the Broncos, including 10 seasons under current Redskins coach Mike Shanahan.

Burns went to high school in nearby Alexandria, Va., and was a seventh-round choice by the Broncos in 1994 from Oklahoma State.