Hightower on returning to Bears for fourth season as ST coordinator |
CHICAGO - Usually, when a new head coach cleans the house, all three of the coordinators are relieved of their duties. While Chicago will have new offensive and defensive coordinators going into next season, head coach Ben Johnson elected to retain Richard Hightower as Chicago’s special teams coordinator.
“(Johnson’s) passion for special teams really was exciting to me and not only for special teams, but connecting all three phases together, playing complementary football was just really (exciting) to me. So, I’m excited to be back and help these guys reach the next level,” Hightower said. “Ben and I have like minds and we see the game (and have) the same philosophy and a vision (that is) the same and he’s someone I really wanted to work with and work for and I take it that I was one person that he really wanted to work with. He was upfront about that from the get-go. So, I’m just excited to be retained and excited to help these players get better.” Hightower enters his fourth season as the special teams coordinator in Chicago. Last season had some challenges, including two blocked field goals, but it was a strong performance by the special teams unit. Last season marked the second time in franchise history three different players received NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in a single season. The first NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors came in Chicago’s week four win against the Los Angeles Rams when rookie punter Tory Taylor had five punts, including a 66-yard punt, landing three of them inside the 20-yard line. Overall, he averaged 55.4 yards per punt in that game. Tight end Cole Kmet won the award a few weeks later in Chicago’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London when he stepped in as the emergency long snapper and had to snap on multiple extra point attempts. It is the only time Kmet has received Player of the Week honors. Perhaps the most satisfying special teams performance of the season was in the season finale against the Green Bay Packers. Cornerback and punt returner Josh Blackwell had a 94-yard punt return for a touchdown, tied for the third-longest punt return in franchise history. Fittingly, the game ended with a successful operation by the special teams unit as kicker Cairo Santos kicked the game-winning 53-yard field goal against Green Bay. It is easy to understand why Johnson chose to keep Hightower on the staff. Furthermore, Johnson and Hightower being of similar minds is beneficial for the team overall as that helps to increase team chemistry. Hightower also looks forward to Johnson bringing his aggressive mentality to the special teams unit. “He is engaged and he’s been engaged from the jump. So, that’s exciting and these guys just need to take their aggressiveness to the next level. They’ve already been a really aggressive, attacking unit at all times last year. But, there are some areas where we feel like we can be more aggressive and take advantage of some things with Ben’s vision and with Ben’s mindset, which we’re excited about,” Hightower said. “Ben has an aggressive mindset and I love that. Really love his aggressive mindset and all of the things that he talked about he wanted to do and what people don’t understand about special teams is when you have that aggressive mindset on special teams, (which is) what he’s been around. But, when you have that aggressive mindset on special teams, it helps the other two phases and helps your football team so much (to) win games. So, that was really intriguing and exciting to me. So, I’m fired up for that.”
