Bears hire Deshea Townsend as defensive backs coach ByMatt Eurich 14 hours ago 1 x The Chicago Bears have made the first addition to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's new staff. The team announced on Friday night it hired Deshea Townsend as their new defensive backs coach. He previously served as an assistant defensive backs coach of the New York Giants during the 2018 season. Townsend played collegiate at Alabama and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He spent the majority of his career with the Steelers between 1998 and 2009 before one year with the Indianapolis Colts. He won two Super Bowls as a player with the Steelers. Following the conclusion of his playing career, he became the assistant defensive backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals. He held that spot between 2011 and 2012. In 2013, he joined Mississippi State as their cornerbacks coach. He held that job between 2013 and 2015 before getting back into the NFL. He was the defensive backs coach of the Tennessee Titans between 2016 and 2017 before holding that assistant defensive backs role with the Giants last year. During his run in the NFL, Townsend appeared in 191 games and made 80 starts. He registered 428 tackles, 21 interceptions, 15.5 sacks, three defensive touchdowns, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He played a major role in both of Pittsburgh's victories in Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII. He recorded at least two interceptions a season between 2001 and 2008. His best season came in 2004 when he recorded 56 tackles, four sacks, 10 pass deflections, four interceptions, returned one interception for a touchdown and recorded one forced fumble. As a coach, he is credited for his work with All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson in Arizona. He also oversaw the development of safety Kevin Byard while he was in Tennessee. He now joins a Bears team that has a strong secondary. He will inherit a group led by All-Pro cornerback Kyle Fuller and All-Pro free safety Eddie Jackson. He will also coach veteran cornerback Prince Amukamara, as well as younger defensive backs such as Kevin Toliver, DeAndre Houston-Carson and Deon Bush. He will replace Ed Donatell on the coaching staff. Donatell left to be the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos under former Bears coordinator Vic Fangio. The former coordinator was hired as Denver's head coach earlier this month. The Bears also saw assistant defensive backs coach Roy Anderson, inside linebackers coach Glenn Pires and outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley depart. Defensive line coach Jay Rodgers remains as the lone holdover from Fangio's staff. Chicago also announced that Ronell Williams has been hired as a defensive quality control coach. Williams worked with Chicago's coaching staff last summer in Bourbonnais at training camp as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. Chicago has yet to identify any other hires on the defensive side of the ball outside of Pagano, Townsend and Williams.
“The Chicago Bears have made the first addition to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's new staff” Huh? Lol
