The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Gus Bradley as their new head coach on Thursday. Bradley spent the past four seasons as the defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks and while there, turned their defense into one of the best in the league.
Gus Bradley hired: Jaguars find new head coach
The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley as their new head coach on Thursday morning. Bradley has a resume as a strong defensive-minded coach.
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
Last season, under Bradley, the Seahawks finished with the top-ranked scoring defense in the NFL, allowing only 15.3 points per game. Seattle also finished fourth in total defense, allowing 306.2 yards per game. In 2008, the season before Bradley came to Seattle, the Seahawks ranked 25th in scoring defense and 30th in total defense. Since Bradley became defensive coordinator, the Seahawks total defense ranking has gone from 24th in 2009, to 27th to ninth and finally to seventh last season.
Prior to coaching in Seattle, Bradley spent three years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers serving under Monte Kiffin. Bradley was the Tampa defensive quality control coach in 2006 and linebackers coach from 2007-08.
Bradley, 46, got his coaching start at North Dakota State as a graduate assistant coach in 1990 and ‘91. He played his college ball at NDSU from 1984-1988 as both a free safety and punter and was a four time academic All-North Central Conference selection.
From 1992 through 1995 he performed various coaching duties at Fort Lewis College, including a four-month stint as head coach from December 1995 through March 1996.
Bradley returned to the North Dakota State coaching staff in 1996. He served as defensive coordinator from 1997-2002 (and again in 2005) and held the title of assistant coach from 2000-05. With Bradley as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 2005, the Bison led the Great West Football Conference in both scoring defense and total defense.
It was believed that Philadelphia Eagles were going to hire Bradley before they were able to lure Chip Kelly away from Oregon. Now that the Jags have him he should help greatly improve a Jacksonville defense that finished 30th in total defense (380.5 yards per game) and 29th in scoring defense (27.8 points per game) last season.
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