Deshea Townsend enters his first season with the Lions in 2024, bringing 24 years of combined NFL coaching and playing experience. Most recently, Townsend spent the 2022-23 seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the same role.
Under Townsend's tutelage, the Jaguars defense ranked first in the League with 179 pass defenses from 2022-23. In 2022, Townsend directed two cornerbacks that finished in the top 10 for pass defenses with CB Darious Williams tying for fourth-most (16) and CB Tyson Campbell tying for sixth-most (15). Jacksonville's defense recorded at least 25 takeaways in both seasons of Townsend's tenure, marking the first time the franchise has done so in consecutive years since 2004-05.
Townsend spent three seasons (2019-21) with the Chicago Bears as their secondary coach. In 2021, he led a defensive backfield that finished third in the NFL in passing yards per game (191.6 yards per game) and seventh in first downs allowed (18.7 per game). In 2019, he guided a pass defense that limited opposing offenses to the second-fewest passing yards (222.1) per game. He tutored S Eddie Jackson and CB Kyle Fuller to their second-straight Pro Bowls, while developing rookie CB Jaylon Johnson who finished tied-for-sixth in the NFL with 15 pass defenses in 2020.
Prior to Chicago, Townsend had stints with the New York Giants (2018) and Tennessee Titans (2016-17) working with the defensive backs. In 2018, Townsend tutored Pro Bowl S Landon Collins who finished second among all NFL defensive backs in total tackles (96). In 2017, Titans S Kevin Byard tied for a League-best eight interceptions.
He spent three seasons in the collegiate ranks, leading the cornerbacks group at Mississippi State from 2013-15. In 2014, he helped the Bulldogs defense lead the nation in pass defenses (89) and passes broken up (73) while ranking fifth in interceptions (15). In 2013, Mississippi State ranked fifth in the SEC in passing defense with 205.2 yards allowed through the air.
Townsend earned his first NFL coaching job with the Arizona Cardinals as an assistant defensive backs coach in 2011, a position he held for two seasons. He helped the Cardinals limit opponents to 215.9 net passing yards per game through two seasons. With Townsend's assistance, CB Patrick Peterson earned back-to-back Pro Bowl honors in addition to All-Pro recognition as a rookie.
As a player, Townsend appeared in 191 games (80 starts) for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1998-2009) and Indianapolis Colts (2010). He totaled 428 tackles, 21 interceptions, 15.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion, winning Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII with the Steelers.
A Batesville, Miss. native, Townsend was a four-year starter and captain as a cornerback for Alabama from 1994-97. He earned three All-SEC honors before entering the NFL as a fourth-round draft selection (117th overall) by the Steelers in the 1998 NFL Draft.
