A former Pittsburgh Steelers captain, standout defender and Super Bowl Champion is taking a new job with the Detroit Lions this week.
According to a report from Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz, former Steelers defensive back Deshea Townsend will join the Detroit Lions as their new defensive passing game coordinator. He had served in the same role while also coaching cornerbacks for the past two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
A former fourth-round pick out of Alabama, Townsend played 12 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Steelers, starting 80 of the 183 game she appeared in and winning two Super Bowl rings in the process. He made 460 total tackles, 27 for a loss and 15.5 sacks and added 112 passes defended, 21 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns during his time in Pittsburgh.
As a coach, Townsend started with the Arizona Cardinals in 2011 as an assistant defensive backs coach. He moved to the college ranks, taking a head cornerbacks coach job at Mississippi State from 2013 to 2015, before returning to the NFL. Townsend worked as a defensive backs coach with the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Chicago Bears before joining the Jaguars.
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