The Tennessee Titans’ coaching revamp under new head coach Robert Saleh just took another significant step forward - and it’s a familiar face joining the fold. Gus Bradley, one of the most respected defensive minds in the league, is headed to Nashville to become the Titans’ new defensive coordinator.
This move comes on the heels of Kyle Shanahan’s decision to bring in Raheem Morris as the 49ers’ new defensive coordinator, effectively closing the door on Bradley’s potential promotion in San Francisco. That decision had ripple effects, and the Titans were quick to capitalize. According to reports, Bradley will now reunite with Saleh in Tennessee, forming a tandem with deep roots and a shared defensive philosophy.
Let’s connect the dots on this one: Bradley and Saleh go way back. Their bond was forged in Seattle back in 2011, when Bradley was the Seahawks’ defensive coordinator and Saleh served as a defensive quality control coach.
That Seahawks unit laid the groundwork for what would become the Legion of Boom - a defense that changed the way teams approached coverage and physicality. Saleh was there for the early stages, learning directly under Bradley’s guidance.
Fast forward a few years, and Bradley, then the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, brought Saleh on board in 2014 as his linebackers coach. They spent three seasons together in Jacksonville before Bradley’s tenure came to an end in 2016. After nearly a decade apart, the two were reunited in San Francisco in 2025, with Bradley serving as assistant head coach under Shanahan and Saleh returning to the Niners in a senior defensive role.
Now, they're teaming up once again - this time with Saleh leading the Titans and Bradley stepping into a role that’s more about collaboration than control. Notably, this is a non-play-calling coordinator position.
Saleh will handle the defensive play-calling duties himself, but that didn’t deter Bradley from joining the staff. That says a lot about both the relationship between the two coaches and Bradley’s commitment to the shared vision.
It’s also worth pointing out that Bradley had other options. He was reportedly in the mix for the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator job - a position that would’ve granted him full play-calling authority under newly hired head coach Mike LaFleur, who comes from an offensive background.
But even with more autonomy potentially on the table in Arizona, Bradley chose Tennessee. That speaks volumes.
Saleh’s goal here is clear: he wants a defensive coordinator who can serve as an extension of his voice - someone who knows the system inside and out and can help implement it across every level of the organization. From teaching the scheme to young coaches to getting buy-in from players, Bradley checks every box.
This hire isn’t just about Xs and Os. It’s about trust, continuity, and building a cohesive coaching unit that can lay a strong foundation for a new era in Tennessee.
Saleh and Bradley have walked this path before. Now, they’ll try to chart a new one together - one that Titans fans hope leads straight to playoff football.