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Bears hire Richard Hightower back as new special teams coordinator

By FOX 32 DIGITAL STAFF
Published  February 6, 2022 10:00am CST
Bears
FOX 32 Chicago

CHICAGO - The Bears have a new special teams coordinator, with a familiar face. 

On Sunday, the team announced the hiring of Richard Hightower – who previously served as assistant special teams coach for the Bears in 2016 – as the new special teams coordinator.

According to the release, Hightower arrives with 15 years of NFL coaching experience, including the last five as special teams' coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers. He arrived in San Francisco in 2017 after previously serving as assistant special teams coach with the team in 2015.

Last season the 49ers’ special teams played a big role in the team’s postseason run to the NFC Championship game, the release states. In the divisional round win at the Packers, Hightower’s unit blocked a punt for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to tie the game, and also converted on the game-winning field goal as time expired. They also blocked a field goal as time expired going into halftime to keep it a one-possession game. Then to open the second half, Deebo Samuel set the 49ers up with great field position with a 45-yard kickoff return, according to the release.

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As an assistant special teams coach with Chicago in 2016, the Bears kickoff coverage team finished seventh in the NFL in opponent drive start average, the release states. Deonte Thompson led the NFL in kickoff returns with 35 and ranked second with 810 yards. Punt returner Eddie Royal scored on a 65-yard touchdown on Monday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles, while Sherrick McManis led the Bears in special teams tackles and finished top 10 in the NFL, recording 13 stops.

A native of Houston, Hightower earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Texas where he was a three-year letterman and special teams standout for the Longhorns. He went to Austin as an academic scholar and later earned an athletic scholarship after walking on. Following his senior season, then-head coach Mack Brown and his staff voted Hightower the D. Harold Byrd Leadership Award winner, the release states.

Hightower and his wife, Lanet, have two sons Jaxson and Kaden and a daughter, Reagan.