Gus Bradley’s time as the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive coordinator has come to an end. On Monday, the team announced they were “parting ways” with the veteran coach after a season filled with defensive struggles. Bradley, who joined the Colts in 2022, leaves after his unit slid to one of the NFL’s worst in 2024.
This isn’t the first time Bradley has been in the spotlight-he’s best known for building the legendary “Legion of Boom” with the Seahawks. But his Indy stint didn’t live up to that reputation, and the 2024 campaign sealed his fate.
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The Colts’ defense never found its rhythm this year, finishing 29th in yards allowed (361.2 per game) and no better than 24th in points allowed. Six times, they gave up more than 400 yards of offense, and their tackling woes were evident week in and week out. Head coach Shane Steichen didn’t hold back when addressing the issues.
“Tackling was a big problem,”Steichen said on Monday. “We also gave up too many explosive plays. It’s something we need to fix moving forward.”
The numbers back him up: the Colts surrendered 115 explosive plays (runs of 10+ yards or passes of 20+ yards), tied for sixth most in the NFL. For a defense designed to prevent those big gains, that stat hit especially hard.
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For a team that led the NFL in money spent on defensive linemen, the production just wasn’t there. Sacks plummeted from 51 in 2023 to 36 this season, and the pressure rate dropped from 38.9% to 31.5%. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner called out the lack of cohesion.
“This was our worst year defensively since I’ve been here,” Buckner said.“At times, it just felt like we were a bunch of individuals out there.”
Bradley’s zone-heavy, four-man front scheme struggled to adapt, and the Colts’ inability to generate pressure or stop big plays cost them. Despite his defensive pedigree, the results didn’t match expectations.
General manager Chris Ballard, who will remain in his role, now faces the challenge of finding a defensive coordinator who can maximize the roster’s potential. Whether they stick with a similar system or pivot to something new is up in the air.
For now, Bradley’s departure marks another chapter in the Colts’ quest to return to relevance after missing the playoffs for four straight years.
