Gus Bradley is back in the defensive coordinator chair - just not in the place many expected.
After spending last season on the San Francisco 49ers’ staff, Bradley is headed to Tennessee to join newly-hired head coach Robert Saleh as the Titans’ next defensive coordinator. The move reunites Bradley and Saleh, who worked together in San Francisco, and marks another chapter in Bradley’s long-running career as a defensive mind in the NFL.
Bradley had been in the mix for the 49ers’ own defensive coordinator vacancy following Saleh’s departure, but San Francisco opted to go in a different direction. Head coach Kyle Shanahan turned to a familiar face, hiring former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris to lead the defense. The two go way back - from their days in Tampa Bay to Washington to Atlanta - and that existing relationship clearly played a role in the decision.
Once Morris landed in the Bay Area, Bradley’s name quickly gained traction elsewhere. Both the Titans and the Arizona Cardinals were reportedly eyeing him for their open coordinator roles. Ultimately, Bradley chose to link back up with Saleh in Tennessee, bringing a wealth of experience to a team looking to reset its identity on that side of the ball.
And when we say experience, we mean it.
Bradley’s coaching résumé spans over three decades, with nearly half of that time spent as a defensive coordinator at the college and NFL levels. He cut his teeth at Fort Lewis and North Dakota State before making the leap to the pros. His first big NFL break came in Seattle, where he served as defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2012 - a tenure that helped launch the foundation of the Seahawks’ famed “Legion of Boom” defense.
That success earned him a shot as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, though that stint didn’t pan out as hoped. Still, Bradley remained a sought-after defensive coordinator, taking on roles with the Chargers, Raiders, and most recently, the Colts, before joining the 49ers’ staff last season.
Now, he’s back in the coordinator role, this time in Nashville, where he’ll be tasked with helping the Titans re-establish a defensive identity under Saleh - a coach known for his own defensive prowess.
As for the 49ers, they’re undergoing some notable changes on the defensive side of the ball. In addition to losing Saleh and Bradley, they also saw defensive backs coach Daniel Bullocks depart for a role with the Green Bay Packers. With Raheem Morris now in place, all eyes turn to how Shanahan and company will round out the rest of the defensive staff.
For Bradley, the move to Tennessee offers a fresh start and another opportunity to shape a defense - something he’s done time and again throughout his career. And for the Titans, it’s a move that brings in a seasoned leader with a proven track record of building tough, disciplined units.