He previously worked as an assistant coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, and Arizona Cardinals.

Townsend played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round (117th overall) in the 1998 NFL draft, where he spent his entire career, besides his final year with the Indianapolis Colts.

A native of Batesville, Mississippi, Townsend played high school football for the South Panola Tigers, where he was the teammate of fellow future Alabama Crimson Tide star Dwayne Rudd.

Along with Rudd, Townsend continued his career in college at the University of Alabama where both became members of the Theta Delta Chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, in 1995.

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 visited with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during free agency and his agent was also contacted by the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Atlanta Falcons.

[8] Under his coaching, safety Kevin Byard led the NFL in interceptions, make the 2018 Pro Bowl, and was named first-team All-Pro.