The Bears continued remodeling their defensive coaching staff Friday, announcing the hiring of new defensive backs coach Deshea Townsend and defensive quality control coach Ronell Williams.
Townsend inherits two first-team Associated Press all-pros: safety Eddie Jackson and cornerback Kyle Fuller. Like Jackson, he was a fourth-round draft pick from Alabama. Townsend then spent 13 years as a standout NFL cornerback, starting 80 games for the Steelers from 1998-2009 before serving as a Colts backup in 2010. He finished his career with 21 interceptions and won Super Bowl XL as a member of the Steelers.
Upon retirement, Townsend served as the Cardinals’ assistant defensive backs coach from 2011-12. He coached cornerbacks at Mississippi State from 2013-15 before returning to the NFL to coach the Titans’ secondary for two years. He spent last season as the Giants’ assistant defensive backs coach, where he helped teach star safety Landon Collins.
Williams spent last training camp with the Bears as part of the Bill Walsh Coaching Diversity Fellowship. He was a defensive analyst at Temple the last two years.
Under coordinator Chuck Pagano, the Bears’ defensive staff will look far different than the one that ran the league’s top defense.
Inside linebackers coach Glenn Pires and assistant defensive backs coach Roy Anderson won’t return, while outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley and defensive backs coach Ed Donatell followed former coordinator Vic Fangio to the Broncos. Donatell will serve as the defensive coordinator under Fangio, a first-time head coach.
Friday’s hires were the first the Bears have announced since naming Pagano the coordinator Jan. 11.
