The 49ers lose assistant coach Gus Bradley as head coach to Tennessee to reunite with Robert Saleh.
Gus Bradley is back where he’s most comfortable: running a defense.
The Tennessee Titans are hiring the longtime NFL assistant as their new defensive coordinator, bringing a familiar and trusted voice to new head coach Robert Saleh’s staff as the franchise looks to reset on that side of the ball.
Bradley’s departure from San Francisco had been rumored for weeks.
After Saleh accepted the Titans' job, Bradley was widely viewed as the leading internal candidate to replace him as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator.
The pairing isn’t accidental. During their time together with the 49ers, Bradley worked closely with Saleh to guide a young, injury-hit defense through growing pains.
The results were uneven, but the process clearly earned Saleh’s trust.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan even acknowledged Bradley as an “obvious” option publicly.
Ultimately, San Francisco went in a different direction by hiring Raheem Morris, freeing Bradley to reunite with Saleh.
Bradley arrives in Nashville after spending the 2025 season with the San Francisco 49ers as assistant head coach on defense.
His move reunites him with Saleh, who also came from San Francisco and has made it clear he wants continuity in philosophy, terminology, and mindset as he rebuilds the Titans.
While Saleh will handle defensive play-calling himself, Bradley’s presence is expected to be a major stabilizing force for a unit that has struggled for consistency in recent years.
At 59, Bradley brings one of the most extensive defensive résumés in the league.
He has previously served as defensive coordinator for four different teams: the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Indianapolis Colts.
His work in Seattle from 2009–2012 helped lay the foundation for the early “Legion of Boom” era, a stretch that cemented his reputation as a developer of fast, physical defenses.
Results have followed him. Bradley has overseen top-10 defenses in points allowed four times and has coordinated units that finished top 10 in yards allowed on six occasions.
That track record is appealing for a Titans team that finished the 2025 season 28th in points allowed and 21st in yards allowed.
The year prior was even more puzzling, as Tennessee ranked third-worst in scoring defense despite allowing the second-fewest yards overall.
There is talent for Bradley and Saleh to build around. All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons remains the anchor up front, while linebacker Cedric Gray has quickly developed into one of the league’s most reliable tacklers.
After four consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, the Titans are counting on Bradley’s experience and Saleh’s leadership to restore credibility to the defense.