Lions Deshea Townsend Brings Competitive Mindset to DB Room

The Detroit Lions added new faces to their defensive coaching staff, including Deshea Townsend. 

An 11-year NFL veteran before transitioning to coaching, Townsend brings a wealth of experience as the team's new defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator. 

He fits the coaching staff's mold as a former player, and has had admiration for the Lions' fourth-year coordinator Aaron Glenn.  

"When I get in the room, I tell the young guys it’s your job to take the starters’ job, and the starters, it’s your job to hold them off," Townsend said, via The Detroit Free Press. "And that’s the same way in coaching. You got to make sure you’re doing your best at every opportunity, you have to prove yourself daily and I wouldn’t expect anything different from myself that I expect from them."

The Lions' secondary struggled in 2023, and Townsend hopes to bring an elevated production level upon his arrival. Though he just arrived, he's focused on instilling a vision that he believes is on par with the organization.

"There’s enough stress alone in covering a go ball," Townsend said. "I got some gray hair that I dyed, so I didn’t have that a couple years ago, but it’s enough stress alone in getting your guys to go play at a high level that you don’t want to go in a building and be around bad people. And that was the most important part for me is just the guys that have given me an opportunity to come on board with them are good people. They got the same vision and I can see us pulling the rope the same way."

Here are other storylines surrounding the Detroit Lions on Feb. 29.

• Rich Eisen shared his thoughts on Dan Campbell expressing regret over how he handled the late stretch of the NFC Championship game.
• The Detroit News reported from the Combine on how Jameson Williams aided Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold believe in his NFL dream.
• Dave Birkett of the Free Press shared how tight end Sam LaPorta inspired draft prospect Brock Bowers. 
• Lions' play-by-play voice Dan Miller joined Woodward Sports to discuss the team's offseason plans.