As the Tennessee Titans look to fill out their roster following the hiring of Robert Saleh, the former New York Jets head coach has found his defensive coordinator in a familiar face from his one-year reunion with the San Francisco 49ers in 2025, tabbing Gus Bradley for the role heading into the 2026 NFL season.
“Sources: The Titans are hiring 49ers assistant HC Gus Bradley as their new DC,” Schultz wrote. “HC Robert Saleh will call defensive plays, but Bradley — one of the most respected defensive coaches in football — follows Saleh to Tennessee and will play a key role.”
One of the more experienced assistant coaches on the open market in 2026, Bradley has worked all over the NFL during his professional coaching career, coordinating defenses for the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Indianapolis Colts in addition to a head coaching gig with the Jacksonville Jaguars and an assistant head coach job with the 49ers in 2025. Bradley was widely considered a top internal target to replace Saleh in San Francisco before the 49ers opted to hire former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, but with the job no longer available, all signs pointed to Tennessee and a reunion with Saleh.
One of the top defensive minds in all of football, Saleh was largely hired by the Titans to bring his unique approach to Nashville for the 2026 season and beyond. With Bradley now on board, Tennessee is putting the pieces in place to field one of the better defensive units in all of football this fall.
