Colts part ways with DC Gus Bradley after 3 seasons: Why Indianapolis made the move

The Indianapolis Colts have “parted ways” with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley after he spent the last three seasons in the role, the team announced Monday.

“I’m appreciative of Gus and the commitment he made to the Colts,” Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen said in a statement announcing the move. “He is a man of great character, and I have the utmost respect for him. I felt like we needed to move in a different direction. I wish Gus and his family all the best moving forward.”

The news comes one day after Colts owner Jim Irsay announced the team will retain Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard for 2025. Indianapolis finished its latest campaign 8-9 after an overtime win against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday but missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season.

Following the team’s Week 14 bye and with its playoff hopes on the line, Bradley’s defensive unit allowed 30 or more points in three of the final four games. The New York Giants — who entered with two wins and an 0-8 record at home — hung 45 points on the Colts (seven points came on a kickoff return touchdown) in a Week 17 loss that was full of missed tackles, blown assignments and ultimately served as the last straw in Bradley’s time with the Colts.

“The overall performance on Sunday (in Week 17) was embarrassing and as a leader, it’s my responsibility for our overall play and I take that responsibility,” Bradley said ahead of the team’s Week 18 finale against the Jaguars.

“It’s our job to put players in position to make the plays and to make the calls that allow them to be successful and we didn’t get that done on Sunday. The players’ job is to execute the calls and when they are in position to give great effort and make plays. When both sides don’t get it done, that’s what took place on Sunday.”

When asked if he was concerned about his job security, he added, “I would worry about it if I wasn’t embarrassed.”

Bradley was hired by coach Frank Reich in 2022 after Matt Eberflus took the head coach position with the Chicago Bears. He was then retained by Steichen for the past two years, but the team’s statistical slide on defense resulted in his firing. The move to let Bradley go comes just over a week after Steichen defended his decisions to stick with the defensive coordinator after last season and through this season.

In Bradley’s first year with the Colts, the team was tied for 10th in sacks (44) and ranked 15th in yards allowed per game (334.0), despite allowing the third-most points (427) in the league. As a first-time coach, Steichen elected to keep Bradley on to give him an experienced hand on the defensive side of the ball. The two were also on staff together with the Los Angeles Chargers for four seasons.

The 2023 season saw Bradley’s defense jump to fifth in sacks (51) but other statistics were not as promising. The Colts slipped to 24th in yards allowed per game (349.8) and allowed the fifth-most points (415) in the league. Indianapolis came up one win short of the playoffs and Bradley was retained for a third season.

In 2024, Indianapolis’ defense ranked in the bottom third in nearly every major statistical category — sacks (tied for 25th with 36), yards allowed per game (29th at 361.2) and the ninth-most points allowed (427).

Colts defensive tackle and team captain DeForest Buckner said this year’s defense was the worst one he’s been a part of since joining Indianapolis via trade before the 2020 season. However, he didn’t put all of the blame on Bradley and the coaching staff. He mentioned “ego” among the players as an issue that plagued his unit.

“There (are) times where ego gets in the way, and I feel like especially in our business, playing in the NFL at a high level and as a team, everybody needs to check their ego at the door,” Buckner said. “We all have egos, but the great teams, those guys, they sacrifice that ego.”

Indianapolis marked Bradley’s fourth stop as a defensive coordinator. His first DC job came with the Seattle Seahawks (2009-12) and he’s also had stints with the Chargers (2017-20) and Las Vegas Raiders (2021). Bradley also spent four years as the head coach of Jacksonville Jaguars, compiling a 14-48 record, before being fired with two games left in the 2016 season. He also served as a linebackers coach under Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin for three years (2006-08).

Bradley’s coaching career began at his alma mater, North Dakota State University, where he spent 12 years in a variety of roles from graduate assistant to linebackers coach to defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

While Bradley hasn’t coordinated a top-10 defense in four years, he is likely to be a sought-after assistant given his experience and pedigree. He worked under Pete Carroll in Seattle and should the veteran coach return to the sideline that could serve as a possible landing spot for Bradley.

The cupboard won’t be bare for the incoming Colts’ defensive boss. The team has the NFL’s leading tackler in linebacker Zaire Franklin, Buckner, edge rusher Kwity Paye, defensive end (and 2024 first-round pick) Laiatu Latu, defensive back Kenny Moore II and safety Nick Cross under contract for next season.

Last year, Steichen was asked about Bradley’s future after the Colts’ defense finished 28th in points allowed per game for the second straight year, and Steichen said he “believed in continuity” before eventually retaining Bradley for a third season in Indianapolis.

On Monday morning, Steichen took a different approach. Asked directly if Bradley would be retained, Steichen said, “There’s no decision that’s been made yet.” Hours later, a decision was made. Although Indy’s defense rose four spots from 2022 and 2023, it still gave up 25.1 points per game in 2024, tied for the most in any season of the Bradley era.

Starting linebacker E.J. Speed, who is an impending free agent, appeared to welcome the idea of playing for a different coordinator if he returns to Indianapolis.

“I feel like the sky is the limit for this defense and for us, whether it’s with Gus or whether it’s with another coordinator or whoever (Steichen) brings in,” Speed said. “We all got out standard, and we all got enough hearts here to get the job done and go be a top defense.”

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(Photo: Michael Hickey/ Getty Images)