The worst Black Monday in recent history left the NFL with seven head coaching jobs open. After a flurry of moves, including Chip Kelly's decision to stay at Oregon then to leave and take the Eagles job, all but two of the jobs were filled. Now there is only one.
According to a league source who spoke to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the Jacksonville Jaguars have hired former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to replace the first Mike Mularkey.
Newly appointed general manager David Caldwell decided to fire Mularkey after one season after the team went 2-14, the worst record in franchise history. The 46-year-old Bradley worked with Pete Carroll in Seattle and has received high praise from the coach as well as current Cowboys defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who worked with him in Tampa Bay from 2006-08.
"He's got a brilliant football mind," Carroll said last week to ESPN.com. "He's got a way of reaching people and touching people and getting the best out of them, coaches and players alike. He's got everything that you're looking for."
Bradley spent four seasons in Seattle and helped get the team into the playoffs before losing to the Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional Round. The team was ranked first in the NFL in defensive scoring with 15.3 points per game and was ranked in the top 10 in both passing and rushing yards allowed.
The Seahawks were also ranked fourth in takeaways with 31 and fourth in total yards with 306 per game. The secondary was one of the best with Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, while the linebackers were one of the top units in the NFC. According to ESPN.com, the Seattle defense has improved in each of the past three seasons and finished in the top 10 in points and yards the last two.
The Seattle defense was one of the most consistent in football and shut out the Cardinals 58-0 on Dec. 9, the biggest win for the team in franchise history. Bradley has overhauled the secondary since he has been in Seattle and has turned it into one of the best units in the league, helping safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor make the Pro Bowl in 2011.
Bradley has extensive coaching experience and started with the Buccaneers as a defensive quality control coach in 2006 before becoming the linebackers coach the next two seasons. He also coached in college from 1990-2005, including two stints at North Dakota State and four years at Fort Lewis College.
Bradley was looked at for head coaching jobs by the San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles, but the Jaguars were enamored with him after his interview with the team and offered him the job. The Jaguars were one of the worst teams in the league, especially on defense.
Jacksonville was ranked 30th in total defense and was tied for 29th in scoring with 27 points per game. The team has a lot of young talent, but could not play consistently on either side of the ball. The offense scored only 15 points per game, ranked 30th in the NFL, and had quarterback issues all season after Blaine Gabbert got hurt.
The team also dealt with injuries to Maurice-Jones Drew and a number of other players. The Jaguars found a gem in wideout Cecil Shorts, who led the team in receiving, but there is still a lot of work to be done on the defense and the offensive line. The secondary will also be a focus for Bradley, since both Rashean Mathis and Derek Cox are likely to leave the team as unrestricted free agents.
The team previously was looking at defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. The supposed favorite was San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, but he could not interview since the team is still alive for the playoffs.
The Jaguars were speculated as being interested in acquiring Tim Tebow in the offseason, but that was quashed by Caldwell in his opening press conference.
"He is a member of the New York Jets so I can't imagine a scenario where he would be a Jacksonville Jaguar," Caldwell said at the press conference. A reporter asked Caldwell to report what he said, to which he responded, "I can't imagine a scenario where Tim Tebow would be a Jacksonville Jaguar. Even if he's released," Caldwell added.
Nearly all the new head coaches hired were offensive-minded guys, making Bradley the first defensive-centric coach to get a job this offseason. The trend reflects what has been going on in the NFL over the past few years, with the offense dominating things for the most part, including on teams like the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints.
The only job still left vacant is the Arizona Cardinals' coaching gig.
