NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — The Tennessee Titans have rounded out head coach Robert Saleh’s staff, hiring longtime NFL assistant Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator.
Bradley joins an experienced coordinator group that includes offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who was previously announced, and special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel, who was retained. Together, the three bring 66 seasons of NFL coaching experience and 45 seasons as coordinators or head coaches.
Bradley enters his 37th year in coaching and his 21st season in the NFL. The 2026 season will reunite him with Saleh, with whom he has worked on multiple staffs, including the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers.
Most recently, Bradley served as assistant head coach of defense for the 49ers in 2025 under head coach Kyle Shanahan, while Saleh was the team’s defensive coordinator. That staff guided San Francisco to a 12-5 record and a playoff berth despite significant injuries to key defenders, including All-Pro lineman Nick Bosa and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner.
Bradley has spent 12 seasons as an NFL defensive coordinator, including stints with the Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts. He also served as head coach of the Jaguars from 2013 to 2016.
Before entering the NFL, Bradley coached 16 years at the college level, including 12 seasons at his alma mater, North Dakota State. A native of Zumbrota, Minnesota, Bradley played safety and punter for the Bison from 1984 to 1988 and was part of three NCAA Division II national championship teams.
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The Titans’ staff now features three coordinators with extensive NFL experience as Saleh prepares for his first season leading the franchise.