Deshea Townsend, a former cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was interviewed for the San Francisco 49ers’ open defensive coordinator position. This interview marks Townsend’s first known ascension to defensive play-caller. He is now the Detroit Lions’ defensive backs coach.
Townsend, 49, has 13 years of NFL and collegiate football coaching experience. After serving as the Arizona Cardinals’ assistant defensive backs coach, he went on to work for the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and now the Lions.
Townsend played for the Steelers for almost his whole career after being selected in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Under the direction of Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin, he was a mainstay for the Steelers from 1998 to 2009 and a two-time Super Bowl champion. He played with the Indianapolis Colts for his final season in the league.
After gradually rising through the coaching levels, Townsend now seems poised to make his major breakthrough as a play-caller. If Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn takes a head coaching position, Townsend might be an internal contender even if he doesn’t end up with the 49ers.
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