LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The Washington Commanders announced today that Brian Schneider has been named the team's new assistant special teams coordinator. Schneider takes over for John Glenn who served as the team's assistant special teams coordinator during the 2024-25 season. Jesse Madden has been added to the coaching staff as an offensive quality control coach. Madden joins the team following his graduation from the University of Michigan.
Schneider enters his 18th season as a coach in the NFL after most recently serving as the special teams coordinator in San Francisco for two seasons in 2022 and 2023. Prior to his time in San Francisco, Schneider worked in Seattle as the special teams coordinator from 2010-2020 where he worked with Head Coach Dan Quinn for three seasons. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Colorado State, his alma mater, from 1994-96. Schneider spent time at UCLA (2003-05), Iowa State (2005-06) and Air Force (2007) before making the jump to the NFL as the Oakland Raiders' special teams coordinator in 2007.
With San Francisco in 2023, Schneider's kicking unit, led by K Jake Moody, made 21-of-25 field goal attempts. Moody went 3-for-3 in Super Bowl LVIII with a long of 55 yards. P Mitch Wishnowsky averaged 47.7 yards per punt on the season and landed 26 punts inside the 20.
In 2022, K Robbie Gould made 27-of-32 field goal attempts and 50-of-51 extra point attempts. Gould kicked a game-winner in Week 17 against the Raiders to secure a win for the 49ers. P Mitch Wishnowsky averaged 39.7 net yards per punt and was named the September NFC Special Teams Player of the Month.
Throughout Schneider's tenure as special teams coordinator with the Seahawks (2010-20), Seattle's special teams units ranked first in the NFL in takeaways (26) and second in blocked kicks (24). During the 2013 season, K Stephen Hauschka converted on 33-of-35 field goals for a Seahawks single season record 94.3 made field goal percentage. Hauschka's 143 kicker points also were the most in Seattle history. In Seattle's Super Bowl XLVIII win, WR Percy Harvin returned and took the second half opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown.
Jesse Madden, the grandson of Pro Football Hall of Famer John Madden, will enter his first season in the NFL after graduating from the University of Michigan. At Michigan, Madden played quarterback in his freshman season before switching to defensive back. Madden was a member of the 2024 national championship team at Michigan.
