Colts part ways with DC Bradley after 3 seasons

The Indianapolis Colts moved on from defensive coordinator Gus Bradley after three seasons, the team announced Monday.

"I felt like we needed to move in a different direction," head coach Shane Steichen said in a statement.

Bradley's contract expired at the end of this season, and the team opted not to bring him back, notes James Boyd of The Athletic.

The 8-9 Colts missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season in 2024 but decided to keep Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard.

Indianapolis' defense didn't show much improvement after hiring Bradley in 2022. The unit ranked 24th in points allowed and 29th in yards allowed in 2024, marking the third straight year in which the team was outside the top 20 in scoring defensively.

The Colts were aggressive in trying to fix their defensive issues in recent offseasons, using at least a first- or second-round pick on a defender in three of the last four draft classes. Indy edge rusher Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player off the board in the 2024 draft at 15th overall.