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Gus Bradley

Titans To Hire Gus Bradley As DC

By | at February 2, 2026 11:37 pm

Known to be an interested party with respect to Gus Bradley, the Titans are indeed bringing him aboard. Tennessee is hiring Bradley for the role of defensive coordinator, as first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

The 49ers assistant saw Raheem Morris brought in as San Francisco’s new defensive coordinator yesterday. That move opened the door to a departure on Bradley’s part. The Titans and Cardinals emerged as potential destinations in short order. As such, today’s news come as little surprise.

Robert Saleh returned to the 49ers as their defensive coordinator last year. Following one season in that familiar role, the ex-Jets head coach managed to land a new HC gig with Tennessee. Bradley loomed as a candidate to be promoted as Saleh’s replacement in San Francisco. Instead, he will now follow Saleh to Nashville.

Saleh will call plays on defense, a departure from his approach during his time in New York. Bradley’s newest DC gig will still see him handle a key role on staff, though, and he will represent another experienced voice in Tennessee. Brian Daboll is in place as the Titans’ offensive coordinator, and Saleh’s staff also includes longtime special teams coordinator John Fassel. Tennessee prioritized veteran coaches in the team’s HC search, and several of them are now in the fold.

Bradley has worked as a defensive coordinator with the Seahawks, Chargers, Raiders and Colts over the course of his lengthy NFL career. The 59-year-old also served as the head coach in Jacksonville from 2013-16. His record on that front has not yielded a second HC opportunity, but Bradley remains a well-regarded defensive mind around the league. He spent 2025 with the title of assistant head coach/defense in San Francisco.

The Titans saw Dennard Wilson depart last month when he took the defensive coordinator position on John Harbaugh‘s staff. Tennessee ranked second in the NFL in total defense during Wilson’s first year in place, but the team regressed in 2025 in a number of areas. Improvement across the board will be sought out with Saleh and now Bradley in place.

Via PFR’s Coordinator Search Tracker, here is a final look at how Tennessee landed on Bradley for the defensive coordinator position:

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Titans, Cardinals Eyeing Gus Bradley For Defensive Coordinator

By | at February 2, 2026 1:59 pm

Less than two weeks ago, it appeared 49ers assistant head coach Gus Bradley was poised to replace the departed Robert Saleh as the team’s defensive coordinator. While Kyle Shanahan called Bradley an “obvious” candidate for the position in late January, the head coach hired Raheem Morris to run the 49ers’ defense on Sunday.

Bradley is still on the 49ers’ staff, but other defensive coordinator jobs are on the table for the 59-year-old. Both the Titans and Cardinals are interested in Bradley, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. Landing with either team would give Bradley a fifth chance to serve as an NFL defensive coordinator.

Bradley previously led defenses with the Seahawks (2009-12), Chargers (2017-20), Raiders (2021) and Colts (2022-24). He was particularly successful from 2011-12, the beginning of Seattle’s dominant “Legion of Boom” era, which convinced the Jaguars to hire him as their head coach.

The Bradley era couldn’t have gone much worse for Jacksonville. The Jags gave Bradley nearly four full seasons, but after he managed just 14 wins in 62 games, the team pulled the plug in December 2016.

Bradley’s Jaguars tenure produced disastrous results, though he garnered more working experience with Saleh after the two coached on the same staff in Seattle from 2011-12. They reunited in San Francisco this past season, but Saleh left last month to become the Titans’ head coach. There’s now a chance Bradley and Saleh will work together with a fourth different franchise in 2026.

Although Bradley’s relationship with Saleh is a plus, the latter will call the defensive plays in Tennessee. Conversely, Bradley would work as the Cardinals’ play-caller, and that could tip the scales in their favor, according to Breer. Bradley and just-hired Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur have no previous experience together. Nevertheless, bringing in Bradley would give the offensive-minded, first-time head coach a grizzled complement on the other side of the ball.

Despite the presence of a defensive-minded head coach in Jonathan Gannon, LaFleur’s predecessor, the Cardinals ranked a subpar 27th in yards allowed and 28th in points surrendered in 2025. The Titans, 21st and 28th in those categories, endured similar struggles under defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. Saleh is now eyeing Bradley to take over for the fired Wilson, but he’ll have to fend off the Cardinals for his services.

0 comments Arizona Cardinals San Francisco 49ers Tennessee Titans

49ers Interview Gus Bradley, Raheem Morris, Joe Woods For DC Job

By | at January 29, 2026 3:54 pm

Robert Saleh‘s second exit as 49ers defensive coordinator will lead to the team’s fourth DC search in four years. The NFC West club has begun its interview process.

Gus Bradley, Raheem Morris and Joe Woods are the first interviewees, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. Bradley spent last season on the 49ers’ staff, and Kyle Shanahan called him an obvious candidate. Woods was on the Raiders’ staff in 2025, while Morris — fired as Falcons HC after two seasons — has come up in connection with multiple DC posts.

Morris remains a candidate to become the next Cardinals HC. Arizona lost one of its frontrunners — Anthony Campanile — this week, when the Jaguars’ DC opted to stay with his current team. But Mike LaFleur and Klint Kubiak also booked second HC interviews with the Cards. This does not necessarily mean Morris is out of the running, but like Saleh last year, the veteran staffer is in the mix for jobs on multiple tiers of the coaching spectrum.

Saleh was believed to be the Jags’ second choice behind Liam Coen, but he resided as the 49ers’ DC-in-waiting in the event that fell through. The 49ers had Saleh positioned as one of the NFL’s highest-paid coordinators, but he bolted after one season back in town to become the Titans’ head coach. Bradley, Morris and Woods are all veteran defensive play-callers. Each has been either a two-time HC (in Morris’ case) or had at least three runs as a DC.

A recent rumor indicated Morris may move to TV if he did not land another HC job, but it seems the former Buccaneers and Falcons sideline boss is indeed surveying options if he does not land the Arizona job. The Falcons fired Morris after two 8-9 seasons, overhauling their football operation around Matt Ryan. Morris was a successful DC en route to that Atlanta job, serving as the Rams’ defensive play-caller for three seasons and collecting a Super Bowl LVI ring during that time. This creates considerable familiarity for Shanahan, though Bradley may still be the candidate to beat.

The Seahawks, Chargers, Raiders and Colts have employed Bradley as DC since 2012. Although Bradley’s Jaguars HC tenure featured a historically low win percentage (.226 — fourth-worst all time), teams have continued to pursue him as a defensive play-caller. Shanahan calling Bradley the “obvious” choice — as the team may not cast a wide net here — bodes well for the current 49ers assistant HC. But Morris and Woods bring comparable experience, representing interesting external challengers.

Earning a Super Bowl ring as a Broncos DBs coach, Woods succeeded Wade Phillips as Denver’s DC in 2017. Woods later moved to the DC role in Cleveland and New Orleans, serving as Browns DC for three seasons and Saints DC for two. Woods served under defense-minded HCs in Denver and New Orleans, however, making his Cleveland stop the only time he was a team’s top defensive voice. The Browns did not rank lower than 21st on defense under Woods, rising to 13th in 2021, but the team fired him after an inconsistent 2022 season. Woods spent last season as the Raiders’ DBs coach/pass-game coordinator.

All three of these coaches have worked Shanahan. The current 49ers HC was in place as Falcons OC from 2015-16. The rare modern coach to serve as an assistant on both sides of the ball, Morris was a Falcons defensive assistant in 2015 and wideouts coach during Atlanta’s NFC championship 2016 slate. Woods served as the 49ers’ pass-game coordinator under Saleh in 2019, using the team’s Super Bowl LIV season as a springboard back to the DC level.

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Kyle Shanahan: Gus Bradley ‘Obvious’ Choice For 49ers’ DC Job

By | at January 21, 2026 7:29 pm

The 49ers are without a defensive coordinator after Robert Saleh became the Titans’ head coach on Monday, but it doesn’t appear they’ll go outside the organization for a replacement. Speaking with reporters Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan “all but said” assistant HC Gus Bradley will take over for Saleh, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Asked if he’d cast a wide net for Saleh’s successor, Shanahan revealed: “I’m not going to say it’s a real wide net. Gus is the obvious one to everyone. And (he) is to us, too. Gus would be the main internal candidate. I feel very fortunate to get Gus and feel great about that.”

While it appears the 49ers will promote Bradley, the Rooney Rule requires them to hold in-person interviews with two minority candidates before a decision is made. Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz may also emerge as a possibility for the 49ers, Nick Wagoner of ESPN notes. Schwartz is in the running to become the Browns’ head coach, but even if that doesn’t happen, they’d like to retain him.

If Shanahan ultimately chooses Bradley, it would put the 59-year-old in position to serve as a D-coordinator for the fifth time in his career. Bradley previously led defenses for the Seahawks (2009-12), Chargers (2017-20), Raiders (2021) and Colts (2022-24). His greatest success came in Seattle during the early stages of the “Legion of Boom” era. The Seahawks boasted the top scoring defense in Bradley’s last season on the job, but he left a year before they won the Super Bowl.

Bradley departed Seattle to become the head coach of the Jaguars, but it didn’t go well. The Jags posted a disastrous 14-48 record under Bradley from 2013-16, and he hasn’t gotten a second HC chance since then. Notably, Saleh was on Bradley’s staff in Jacksonville. He also worked under Bradley in Seattle.

The familiarity between Saleh and Bradley suggests the 49ers’ defense would transition smoothly from the former to the latter in 2026. In Saleh’s lone year on the job, San Francisco’s defense finished 13th in yards and 20th in points. A rash of injuries – including to the unit’s two best players, linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa – prevented the group from reaching its full potential.

A dislocated and broken ankle ended Warner’s season in Week 6, three weeks after Bosa tore his ACL. Warner underwent surgery in October, but the four-time first-team All-Pro should have a clean bill of health in 2026. Warner said he won’t require any offseason procedures, per Wagoner.

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 2-4-26 (8:31pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Drew Petzing)

  • Nathaniel Hackett, quarterbacks coach (Dolphins): Hired

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Zac Robinson)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Todd Monken)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Joe Brady)

  • Pete Carmichael Jr., senior offensive assistant (Broncos): Hire expected

Chicago Bears (Out: Declan Doyle)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Tommy Rees)

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

  • Ronald Curry, quarterbacks coach (Bills): Interviewed
  • Brian Johnson, pass-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed
  • Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Promoted

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Nick Rallis)

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Zach Orr)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Bobby Babich)

  • Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Hired

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Sean Duggan, former linebackers coach (Packers): Hired
  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Robert Saleh)

  • Gus Bradley, assistant head coach (49ers): Interviewed
  • Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Hired
  • Jim Schwartz, defensive coordinator (Browns): Rumored candidate
  • Joe Woods, defensive backs coach (Raiders): Interviewed

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

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49ers Announce Finalized 2025 Coaching Staff

By | at March 1, 2025 5:44 pm

The annual poaching of the 49ers coaching staff happened again this offseason, and San Francisco has done some hiring and shuffling to fill out the vacancies. Here’s how Kyle Shanahan‘s staff will look in 2025, based on their finalized announcement of staff updates.

Most of the changes on staff came on offense where we’ve already reported that Klay Kubiak and Mick Lombardi were promoted into roles as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, respectively. Additional promotions were granted to wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson, who adds passing game specialist to his title, offensive line coach Chris Foerster, who exchanged the additional title of run game coordinator for assistant head coach of offense, and Andrew Hayes-Stoker, who will serve as offensive assistant/wide receivers coach after two years as defensive quality control and two years as assistant defensive backs coach. We also see title changes for assistant offensive line coach Joe Graves, who will now serve as offensive assistant/quarterbacks coach, and Jacob Webster, who will switch from defensive quality control to offensive quality control.

The defense saw fewer changes as the team made a pretty simple transition at coordinator from Nick Sorensen to a familiar face in Robert Saleh. With Saleh returning to the post, most of the position coaches remained the same, though we did already report the hiring of Ray Brown as defensive backs/cornerbacks coach. We were also already aware of the hiring of Gus Bradley to the staff in some role, but the team’s recent announcement informs us that Bradley will mirror Foerster’s role as assistant head coach of defense.

Additional updates to the defensive staff saw the hirings of Greg Scruggs as assistant defensive line coach and Jake Lynch as defensive quality control coach. Scruggs comes to San Francisco two years removed from his last job as defensive line coach at Wisconsin. Prior to that, he had one year of experience as assistant defensive line coach for the Jets in 2022 and two years of experience as defensive line coach at the University of Cincinnati. Lynch, the son of president of football operations/general manager John Lynch, joins the staff after a year at the University of Washington as a defensive graduate assistant, a role he held following the end of his playing career as a linebacker at Stanford.

On special teams, we knew that Brant Boyer had stepped in as the new special teams coordinator, replacing Brian Schneider. The recent staff announcement disclosed the rest of the special teams staff, as well, including assistant special teams coach Colt Anderson and special teams quality control coach Ronald Blair. Anderson joins the staff after spending only one year as the Titans special teams coordinator last year. Prior to that, he spent four seasons as assistant special teams coach for the Bengals. Blair was a Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellow working with the defensive line last year but will work on special teams in his second season with the team.

Lastly, the team announced that Patrick Hagedorn, who had started with the team as assistant to the coaching staff in 2017 and became assistant to the head coach in 2021, has been promoted to chief of staff.

With that staff, the 49ers will head into the 2025 NFL season. After an injury-riddled, disappointing 2024 campaign, Shanahan and company are sure to head into the next season with a renewed drive to get back to the Super Bowl for the third time in seven years.

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Gus Bradley To Join 49ers’ Coaching Staff

By | at February 7, 2025 11:59 am

Gus Bradley was among the coordinators fired at the end of the 2024 season, but he has not needed to wait long to find his next opportunity. The veteran coach will return to the West Coast for the 2025 campaign.

Bradley is joining the 49ers’ coaching staff, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. This will not represent the fifth coordinator gig of his career, but it will give him the opportunity to reunite with Robert Saleh. The two previously worked together in Seattle and Jacksonville.

An NFL staffer since 2006, Bradley parlayed his Seahawks DC position into a head coaching opportunity with the Jaguars. The 58-year-old went just 14-48 before being fired during the 2016 campaign, but he had managed to remain a coordinator in each stop around the league since then. Bradley worked as the Chargers’ DC for four years prior to a one-year stint in that role with the Raiders.

From 2022-24, Bradley was at the helm of the Colts’ defense. That unit finished 28th or 24th in points allowed during each year of his tenure, which helps explain Shane Steichen‘s decision to make a change this offseason after keeping Bradley in place upon arrival one year earlier. Shortly after that move was made, Bradley’s name was mentioned as a potential 49ers target.

San Francisco moved on from Nick Sorensen after a one-and-done campaign, leaving the team in need of a new DC once again. Robert Saleh was ultimately tapped for his old gig, and expectations will be high upon his return to the organization. Saleh led the 49ers’ defense from 2017-20, and his success in that time earned him the Jets’ head coaching gig he was fired from midway through this season. If Saleh manages to rebuild his HC stock with another strong San Francisco tenure, Bradley could be in place as a coordinator successor.

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2025 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 26, 2025 9:57 pm

Last year, half the league changed up at offensive and defensive coordinator. As most HC-needy teams have now filled their open positions, the coordinator carousel has accelerated. Here is how the market looks now. When other teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 2-21-25 (1:59pm CT)

Offensive coordinators

Chicago Bears (Out: Chris Beatty)

Cleveland Browns (Out: Ken Dorsey)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Brian Schottenheimer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Ben Johnson)

  • John Morton, pass-game coordinator (Broncos): Hired

Houston Texans (Out: Bobby Slowik)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Press Taylor)

Las Vegas Raiders 

New England Patriots (Out: Alex Van Pelt)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Klint Kubiak)

New York Jets (Out: Nathaniel Hackett)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kellen Moore)

  • Kevin Patullo, pass-game coordinator (Eagles): Promoted

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks (Out: Ryan Grubb)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Liam Coen)

Defensive coordinators

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Jimmy Lake)

Chicago Bears (Out: Eric Washington)

Cincinnati Bengals (Out: Lou Anarumo)

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Mike Zimmer)

Detroit Lions (Out: Aaron Glenn)

  • Larry Foote, inside linebackers coach (Buccaneers): Interviewed
  • Kelvin Sheppard, linebackers coach (Lions): Promoted

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Gus Bradley)

Jacksonville Jaguars (Out: Ryan Nielsen)

  • Anthony Campanile, linebackers coach/running game coordinator (Packers): Hired
  • Jonathan Cooley, pass-game coordinator (Panthers): Interview requested
  • Patrick Graham, former defensive coordinator (Raiders): Interviewed 1/27
  • Daronte Jones, defensive pass-game coordinator (Vikings): Interviewed 1/27
  • Aubrey Pleasant, defensive pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/28

Las Vegas Raiders 

New England Patriots (Out: DeMarcus Covington)

  • Ryan Crow, outside linebackers coach (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/21
  • Terrell Williams, defensive line coach (Lions): Hired

New Orleans Saints (Out: Joe Woods)

New York Jets (Out: Jeff Ulbrich)

  • Chris Harris, former defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator (Titans): Interviewed 1/29
  • Steve Wilks, former defensive coordinator (49ers): To be hired

San Francisco 49ers (Out: Nick Sorensen)

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Nick Sorensen Won’t Return As 49ers Defensive Coordinator

By | at January 7, 2025 8:47 pm

The 49ers will be seeking their fourth defensive coordinator in four years. Nick Sorensen won’t return as the 49ers defensive coordinator in 2025, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.

However, Sorensen’s stint in San Francisco may not be over. Maiocco adds that the 49ers are hoping they can keep the coach on Kyle Shanahan’s staff for next season. One option could be special teams coordinator, as Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes. The 49ers fired ST coordinator Brian Schneider the other day, and Sorensen served in that role during his time with the Jaguars.

After ranking third in points allowed in 2023, the 49ers dropped to 29th during Sorenson’s first season at the helm. The defense also struggled to generate turnovers, with Cam Inman of the Mercury News noting that the team had zero interceptions over their final seven games and only one fumble recovery over their final 11 games.

There was hope that Sorenson would help guide the 49ers to a new level after the team fired Steve Wilks last offseason. The former NFL journeyman moved quickly through the coaching ranks in San Francisco, where he worked his way up from a defensive assistant to defensive pass game specialist to defensive coordinator in three seasons. In addition to his one-year stint as Jaguars ST coordinator, Sorenson also had experience coaching defense with the Seahawks, where he served as the team’s secondary coach during the final seasons of the Legion of Boom era.

While the 49ers dealt with a long list of injuries, the team clearly wasn’t willing to tolerate the clear regression from the defense in 2024. Now, the organization will be seeking their fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons. Prior to Wilks one-year stint as defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans spent two years in the role before becoming head coach of the Texans.

Ryans’ predecessor, Robert Saleh, could be a candidate to take over for Sorenson, as Inman notes. Saleh spent four years as San Francisco’s defensive coach before leaving to become the Jets head coach in 2021. He was canned by the Jets earlier this season before catching on as a consultant in Green Bay, and he’s already emerged as a candidate for the Jaguars head coaching vacancy. It’s more likely that Saleh’s return to coaching will require a stop as coordinator, and a familiar spot in San Francisco could be his softest-possible landing.

Inman also points to Jeff Ulbrich and Gus Bradley as potential candidates for the 49ers new DC opening. Ulbrich most recently served as Saleh’s interim replacement in New York, and that was preceded by a three-plus-year stint as the Jets DC. The veteran coach crossed paths with Shanahan in Atlanta, and he spent his entire 10-year playing career in San Francisco.

Bradley and Shanahan have never worked alongside each other, but the veteran coach brings plenty of experience. Bradley most recently served as the Colts defensive coordinator, a role he held for three seasons before getting dismissed yesterday. Bradley also held DC roles with the Raiders, Chargers, and Seahawks, and he had a four-year stint as head coach with the Jaguars.

8 comments Newsstand San Francisco 49ers

Colts Fire DC Gus Bradley

By | at January 6, 2025 6:14 pm

The Colts are moving on from their veteran defensive coordinator. Jim Irsay announced Monday that the team is not bringing back Gus Bradley.

The former Jaguars HC and four-time NFL DC had been in Indianapolis for the past three seasons. Despite having worked with Shane Steichen with the Chargers as well, he will not come back for Steichen’s third Colts campaign. This comes two weeks after the Colts allowed 45 points to a 2-13 Giants team starting Drew Lock; that loss eliminated Indianapolis from the playoff race.

[RELATED: Colts To Retain Steichen, GM Chris Ballard]

Bradley had been rumored to be on the hot seat, with SI.com’s Albert Breer suggesting he would be the fall guy after a tough year on defense. Indy stuck with Bradley despite poor defensive numbers last season, and the former Pete Carroll assistant is back on the market. Bradley, 58, has been either a defensive coordinator or head coach since 2009. Seahawks, Chargers, Raiders and Colts DC assignments have sandwiched a woeful Jaguars HC tenure.

Hired to be part of Frank Reich‘s staff in 2022, Bradley could not turn the Colts into an upper-crust defense. Matt Eberflus had Indy as a top-10 scoring unit three times from 2018-21; Bradley has been unable to lead this unit inside the top 20. After back-to-back 28th-place finishes, Bradley’s troops checked in 24th this season. This may be a crossroads point for the veteran assistant, though he has enjoyed success prior to his Indiana stay.

Bradley and Steichen overlapped with the Bolts from 2017-20, with the former heading to Los Angeles after his Jacksonville ouster. Bradley exited Florida with the fourth-worst win percentage (.226) in NFL history. Hue Jackson and Steve Spagnuolo check in below Bradley on that all-time list; the latter’s number with the Rams has hurt him on the HC market, despite a wildly successful Chiefs DC tenure. Bradley has been unable to match Spagnuolo’s Kansas City coordinator work, but he has been regularly sought after since the Jaguars firing.

Anthony Lynn hired Bradley in 2017, while Jon Gruden picked him up after Lynn’s 2020 ouster. As the Raiders cleaned house in 2022, Bradley found his way to Indianapolis. Bradley’s best work remains his 2012 Seahawks defense, which booked him the Jags job and set him up for other DC opportunities down the road. Seattle led the league in scoring defense in 2012, with that defensive system later aiding Dan Quinn and Kris Richard. Bradley’s zone-based system peaked a bit ago, however, and the Colts are set to go in a different direction.

The Colts played almost all of this season without JuJu Brents, a former second-round pick who was supposed to be the team’s top outside corner, and all of it without EDGE starter Samson Ebukam. The latter was part of the Colts setting an Indianapolis-era franchise record with 51 sacks last season. Ballard has also taken criticism for a largely inward-only approach on his roster. That blueprint has largely failed to pay off, but while Ballard will see more time, Bradley is out.

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