Deshea Townsend
Encyclopedia
Trevor Deshea Townsend is a former defensive back
in the National Football League
, and is currently a defensive backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals
and most recently a player for the Indianapolis Colts
. He played college football
for the Alabama Crimson Tide
and was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round (117th overall) in the 1998 NFL Draft
.
, Deshea played high school football for the South Panola Tigers
, where he was the teammate of fellow future Alabama Crimson Tide
star Dwayne Rudd
. Townsend played quarterback at South Panola and led the team to the 1993 Mississippi State 5A championship and an undefeated 15-0 record.
at the University of Alabama
where both became members of the Theta Delta Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma
fraternity, in 1995. He majored in business management.
A twelve year veteran of the Pittsburgh Steelers
, Townsend grew from a special teams player and nickel back (and initially known in Pittsburgh as the player to wear Rod Woodson
's number 26 after he left the Steelers) into a solid starter for the Steelers
at cornerback
. Townsend is known for his outside speed as a pass rusher. Townsend has recorded 322 tackles, 15.5 quarterback
sacks, and 18 interceptions during his ten years as a Steeler. He also had a key sack on Seattle
quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck
during the final minutes of Super Bowl XL
, which helped secure the Steelers
eventual victory. He was re-signed by the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent in March 2006.
During the 2008 season, Townsend accepted the reduced role from starting cornerback to the nickel package.
In August 2010, Townsend joined the Indianapolis Colts. On 9 November 2010, he was waived by the Colts. For the season, Townsend played in all eight Colts games to that date (no starts) with 10 tackles and no interceptions or sacks.
Deshea resides in Oxford, MS and is married with three kids.
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, and is currently a defensive backs coach for the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and most recently a player for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
and was selected by the Steelers in the fourth round (117th overall) in the 1998 NFL Draft
1998 NFL Draft
The 1998 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998...
.
Early years
A native of Batesville, MississippiBatesville, Mississippi
Batesville is a city in Panola County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,113 at the 2000 census.-History:The Land upon which present day Batesville is situated originally belonged to a Chickasaw Indian called Ish-Sho-Nu-Nah...
, Deshea played high school football for the South Panola Tigers
South Panola School District
The South Panola School District is a public school district based in Batesville, Mississippi .In addition to Batesville, the district also serves the village of Pope, the town of Courtland, and the Panola County portion of Crowder as well as rural areas in southern Panola County.-Schools:*South...
, where he was the teammate of fellow future Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
star Dwayne Rudd
Dwayne Rudd
Dwayne Rudd is an American football linebacker who is a free agent in the National Football League, having not played in the NFL since 2003. During his career he played for the Minnesota Vikings, the Cleveland Browns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
. Townsend played quarterback at South Panola and led the team to the 1993 Mississippi State 5A championship and an undefeated 15-0 record.
College career
Along with Rudd, Townsend continued his career in collegeCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
where both became members of the Theta Delta Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
fraternity, in 1995. He majored in business management.
Professional career
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Townsend grew from a special teams player and nickel back (and initially known in Pittsburgh as the player to wear Rod Woodson
Rod Woodson
Roderick Kevin "Rod" Woodson is the current cornerbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He is also a former defensive back best known for his 10-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as being a key member of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XXXV championship...
's number 26 after he left the Steelers) into a solid starter for the Steelers
Steelers
Steelers usually refers to the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football team which plays in the National Football League. It may also refer to the following sports teams:Association football...
at cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
. Townsend is known for his outside speed as a pass rusher. Townsend has recorded 322 tackles, 15.5 quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
sacks, and 18 interceptions during his ten years as a Steeler. He also had a key sack on Seattle
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Matt Hasselbeck
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck is a National Football League quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft, and traded to Seattle in 2001. After becoming the starter in 2003, Hasselbeck led Seattle to six playoff appearances and...
during the final minutes of Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL
Super Bowl XL was an American football game pitting the American Football Conference champion Pittsburgh Steelers against the National Football Conference champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League champion for the 2005 season...
, which helped secure the Steelers
Steelers
Steelers usually refers to the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football team which plays in the National Football League. It may also refer to the following sports teams:Association football...
eventual victory. He was re-signed by the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent in March 2006.
During the 2008 season, Townsend accepted the reduced role from starting cornerback to the nickel package.
In August 2010, Townsend joined the Indianapolis Colts. On 9 November 2010, he was waived by the Colts. For the season, Townsend played in all eight Colts games to that date (no starts) with 10 tackles and no interceptions or sacks.
Deshea resides in Oxford, MS and is married with three kids.