Colts Rumors: Gus Bradley Retained as DC Under New HC Shane Steichen

The Indianapolis Colts will be under new leadership after the hiring of first-year head coach Shane Steichen, but the team reportedly plans to retain familiar faces on the coaching staff.

Per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Gus Bradley will remain with the Colts as defensive coordinator after starting in that position last year under Frank Reich before Reich was fired and replaced by Jeff Saturday.

Bradley is a respected veteran coach who has also been the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. He was head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2016, leading a team that had massive deficiencies to a 14-48 record.

In their first year with Bradley, the Colts ranked 15th in the NFL with 334.0 yards per game allowed and 28th in scoring defense with 25.1 points per game allowed. Indianapolis had a tumultuous year after the midseason firing of Reich, as Saturday was tabbed as his replacement despite not having any significant head coaching experience.

After a year of uncertainty, it's a smart move for Steichen to maintain some continuity going forward. Per Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star, Bradley and Steichen "developed a close relationship" during their four years together with the Chargers, when Steichen was the quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator.

"I've got a ton of respect for Gus Bradley," Steichen said in November before the Colts faced the Philadelphia Eagles, for whom he was the offensive coordinator at the time. "Hell of a football coach, hell of a human being."

The Colts finished 4-12-1 last season and have the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.