Former Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is joining the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
Bradley’s specific role hasn’t been reported, but he will be reunited with new 49ers’ defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The two also coached together in Seattle and Jacksonville.
Bradley was the Colts’ defensive coordinator for the last three seasons. During his tenure, we saw stretches of success, which included a franchise record 51 sack season by the defense in 2023, along with finishing 7th in the NFL this past season in interceptions.
However, what was missing was consistency and steady growth, and with that, the overall results did not follow. During Bradley’s three seasons with the team, the Colts ranked in the bottom third of the NFL in scoring each year.
At the end of the day, as the defensive coordinator, the play of the defense does fall on Bradley’s shoulders. However, adding to the difficulty of that role was GM Chris Ballard’s reluctance to add to the secondary and the roster as a whole, which led to complacency and ego taking over, as DeForest Buckner put it after the season.
After moving on from Bradley, the Colts hired former Cincinnati Bengals’ defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to take over. Known as the “Mad Scientist,” Anarumo brings a more adaptable and disguise-heavy scheme to Indianapolis.
