From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Team intercepts free agent from courting Patriots

Steelers officials nabbed Townsend Thursday right about the time he was meeting with Patriots coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots already made an offer to his agent, Peter Schaffer, for Townsend and had cleared roughly $2 million in salary-cap space after releasing cornerback Tyrone Poole rather than paying him a $500,000 bonus. Then the Steelers called.

It all happened so fast, Townsend repacked his overnight bag and hopped on a return flight to Pittsburgh yesterday morning, when he completed a deal that keeps the eight-year veteran with the team that drafted him in the fourth round in 1998.

The Steelers gave Townsend, 30, their second-leading pass defender last season (13) and tied as their second-leading sacker (three, not counting one in the Super Bowl), a four-year, $8 million contract to return to a defense currently set to return nine starters and needing a seasoned veteran in the secondary. That as much, if not more, than the money was what swayed Townsend, who said he was told he would remain the starter at right cornerback for the third season in a row.

"This is always where I wanted to be," Townsend said. "I had other opportunities that were out there, but this is the best fit for Deshea, and that is why I am here.

"I was [in New England] and a situation came up where you had to pick where you wanted to be. I am where I want to be. There's no other organization I would rather be at. It's the only organization that I know. That really made it easy for me."

"When you think about Deshea Townsend, you think about a guy who has always been there for us and continued to make play after play," Kevin Colbert, Steelers director of football operations said. "It certainly did not go unnoticed by us. We are extremely happy to announce that Deshea will be joining us for four more years, and, hopefully, he can finish his career as a Steeler."

Townsend's return also means that Hope and defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen (New York Jets) the only departures thus far from the defense. Starting left cornerback Ike Taylor remains a restricted free agent and seems unlikely to receive a contract elsewhere.

Townsend, 5 feet 10, 190 pounds, had 55 total tackles last season to rank ninth on the Steelers, just ahead of Pro Bowl nose guard Casey Hampton and von Oelhoffen.

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Also what is best for Deshea is that he did not go play for the Patriots. What was he thinking??? Everybody would have hated him if he had left us for the Patriots. That is worse than leaving us for the Browns. But I am very glad that he is staying.

Deshea = A-OK.

Deshea Townsend Autographed 8"x10" Photo