5 most underappreciated Steelers defensive players since 2000
By Scott Long
Steelers Defensive Player No. 2: Deshea Townsend
Deshea Townsend is yet another two-time Super Bowl champion with the Steelers. Townsend spent 12 of his 13 NFL seasons in Pittsburgh and was a key piece of the secondary during both Super Bowl runs.
During his time in Pittsburgh, Townsend appeared in 183 games, starting 80 of them, and recorded 21 interceptions, 111 pass deflections, 15.5 sacks, and 460 tackles during that timeframe.
In the Super Bowl XL run, Townsend started opposite Ike Taylor at cornerback, with Troy Polamalu and Chris Hope filling out the secondary at the safety positions. Townsend was the full-time starter at cornerback from 2004 through 2007 but still played plenty in sub-packages afterward in his final two years in Pittsburgh. In the Super Bowl XLIII run, while Townsend didn’t start, he was still a key contributor in nickel and dime packages.
As a fourth-round selection, the Steelers got plenty of bang for their buck with the Townsend selection who was a vital starter for several seasons, before shifting to a depth role.
Unlike Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu, and Ryan Clark, Townsend gets very little recognition but was a crucial member of both championship teams.