The Tennessee Titans are bringing in a familiar voice to help build their new defense, hiring Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports on Monday.
Bradley arrives in Tennessee alongside Robert Saleh after the two spent this past season together with the San Francisco 49ers, where Bradley served as assistant head coach while Saleh was defensive coordinator.
Saleh has already said he plans to handle defensive playcalling in his return to a head-coaching role, making Bradley’s job more about installing the system and managing the week-to-week details.
For the Titans, it’s a bet on experience and a shared background. Bradley’s best-known coordinating stretch came with the Seattle Seahawks from 2009-12, when the unit laid the groundwork for the “Legion of Boom” era. In 2012, Seattle finished first in points allowed and fourth in yards allowed — and Saleh was on that staff in a defensive quality control role.
Bradley and Saleh later crossed paths again with the Titans’ division rival Jacksonville Jaguars, where Bradley was head coach from 2013-16, and Saleh coached linebackers 2014-16. Bradley authored a 14-48 record during his stint with the Jaguars.
Since his time in Jacksonville, Bradley has remained a steady defensive presence, coordinating for the Los Angeles Chargers (2017-20), Las Vegas Raiders (2021) and Indianapolis Colts (2022-24) before shifting into the 49ers’ assistant head coach role last season.
The Titans will hope the changes will help a defense that ranked 21st in the league in total yards against and 28th in points allowed last season.
