Tom Bradley (American football coach)

Last updated
Tom Bradley
Bradley Tom 11-MS0638 (cropped).jpg
Personal information
Born: (1956-07-12) July 12, 1956 (age 67)
Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Career information
College: Penn State
Career history
As a coach:
Head coaching record
Career:1–3 (.250)

Thomas Mark Bradley (born July 12, 1956) is an American football coach and former collegiate player. He most recently served as the defensive backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before joining the Steelers, he was the defensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins football team. [1] Before arriving at UCLA Bradley served as the senior associate head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers football team. [2] He is best known for his four-decade association with Penn State Nittany Lions football as a player and coach. Bradley served as the interim head coach of Penn State following Joe Paterno's dismissal nine games into his 46th season as head coach and left the Penn State program in 2012. Bradley has participated in a remarkable 34 bowl games. He played in four as a player at Penn State, twenty-seven coaching at Penn State, one coaching at West Virginia, and two coaching at UCLA.

Contents

Bradley has been recognized for his defense's outstanding performances. He was named the Associated Press Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2005 [3] and was named Rivals.Com Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2008. [4] Additionally Rivals.com had Bradley ranked as the 2nd best defensive coordinator in the nation before he was named interim head coach in 2011.

From 2004 to 2011 Penn State's defense ranked 3rd in the nation in scoring defense (16.4 ppg) and was 5th in total defense (298.7 ypg). In 2009, the Nittany Lions ranked in the top 15 nationally in the six primary defensive categories. Additionally, from 2004 to 2009 Penn State finished in the top 15 in total and scoring defense. From 2004 through most of the 2011 season, Penn State held 53 of its 88 opponents to 17 points or fewer. 10 of those 53 came in Penn State's illustrious 2009 campaign.

Bradley was inducted into the Cambria County Hall of Fame in 1998, [5] and served as the honorary chair of the Special Olympics in 2006. He was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in May 2014, and is a member of the 2020 Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame class. [6] He was also inducted into the Pittsburgh Athletic Association Hall of Fame in January 2015, where he is one of only four collegiate football coaches to receive this honor. [7]

Coaching career

Bradley was named a graduate assistant for the 1979 season immediately following his graduation from Penn State in 1978. He became a full-time assistant midway through the 1979 season. Over the next 20 years, he coached running backs, wide receivers, defensive backs, linebackers, and special teams. In 1999 Bradley was named defensive coordinator at Penn State.

Bradley was a highly successful recruiter in addition to his role defensively. He served as lead recruiter for Nittany Lions such as Shane Conlan, Lavar Arrington, Paul Posluszny, Sean Lee, Brandon Short, and Justin King. Bradley has coached many All-American and all Big Ten standouts including Lavar Arrington, Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor, Devon Still, Shane Conlan, and David Macklin. [8] Bradley was a part of 31 Bowl Games at Penn State.

Through the years Bradley remained loyal to Penn State and Paterno, and it was widely rumored that Paterno was preparing him to be his successor. Bradley's feelings about coaching at Penn State or another school have been quoted, "there's a lot of loyalty that has been built up over the years. There's a family atmosphere between the staff, the players, and the community. It's a place that means a lot to my family. I don't want to go be a head coach just to say I've been a head coach. That's never been part of it. If I find something better, I'll go. But I haven't found it. It's that simple." [9]

In January 2011, Bradley was reported to have been interviewed as a candidate for the head coaching openings at the University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University, but Bradley ultimately remained on Penn State's staff for 2011. [10] On November 9, 2011, Bradley was named Penn State's interim head coach after the university's board of trustees fired Paterno. He coached Penn State for the final four games of the season, including the 2012 TicketCity Bowl.

On January 7, 2012, Bradley resigned from the Penn State coaching staff after not being named head coach, having spent 37 years at Penn State as a player, graduate assistant and full-time assistant. [11]

Bradley spent two years as the football color analyst for CBS Sports before being hired by West Virginia University's Dana Holgorsen as senior associate head coach on February 21, 2014. Bradley coached the defensive line, specifically. [12]

On February 23, 2015, Bradley was hired to be the defensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins. [13]

On February 8, 2018, Bradley was hired to be the defensive backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On January 14, 2021, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that they wouldn't renew Bradley's contract. [14]

Personal life

Bradley is the second-oldest of seven children. He graduated from Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1974, where he played basketball and football. Tom was a three-year letterman in football and a captain his senior year. [15] His father, Sam, played basketball for the University of Pittsburgh. [16] His older brother Jim was a captain and standout defensive back at Penn State from 1971 to 1974, played for the Cincinnati Bengals, and is the long-time team orthopedic surgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His younger brother Matt played linebacker for the Nittany Lions from 1978 to 1981. Matt briefly played for the Houston Oilers and the Philadelphia Stars of the USFL. Bradley's nephew, Jim Kanuch, also played receiver at Penn State from 2002 to 2005. His two sisters Patty and Cassy were All-American track athletes at Villanova. [17]

Bradley is a graduate of Penn State and played for the Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1975 to 1978 as a defensive back. Bradley was given the nickname "Scrap" by teammates due to his tenacious play. In 1978 the Nittany Lions special teams adopted the name, calling themselves the "Scrap Pack." Fans printed t-shirts and bumper stickers honoring them. [17] Bradley helped lead the Lions to 38–10 record during his playing career, including two Sugar Bowls, a Fiesta Bowl and a Gator Bowl. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration and completed a master's in sports administration, later becoming a full-time coach after graduation. [18]

Head coaching record

YearTeamOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs
Penn State Nittany Lions (Big Ten Conference)(2011)
2011 Penn State 1–3 [n 1] 1–2 [n 1] T–1st (Leaders)L TicketCity
Penn State:1–31–2
Total:1–3
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

  1. 1 2 Joe Paterno coached the first nine games of the season before he was fired on November 9.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Hartings</span> American football player (born 1972)

Jeffrey Alan Hartings is an American former professional football player who was a center for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earning All-American honors. A first-round pick of the Detroit Lions in the 1996 NFL Draft, he played professionally for the Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a member of the Steelers' Super Bowl championship team in 2005, beating the Seattle Seahawks, and he was a two-time Pro Bowl selection. He is currently the head football coach at Worthington Christian High School.

Todd Alan Blackledge is a former American football quarterback in both the NCAA and National Football League (NFL). In college, he led the Penn State Nittany Lions to a national championship. A member of the famed Class of 1983, he played for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Blackledge is a college football television broadcaster, working for ABC Sports from 1994 through 1998, for CBS Sports from 1999 to 2005, ESPN from 2006 through January 2023, and NBC since February 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Posluszny</span> American football player (born 1984)

Paul Michael Posluszny is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, earning consensus All-American honors twice, and was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. After four years in Buffalo, Posluszny spent the remainder of his career with the Jaguars and earned Pro Bowl honors during the 2013 season.

Darren Perry is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1988 to 1991. After graduating, he was selected in the eighth round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played in the NFL for eight seasons, seven with the Steelers, but also with the San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, and New Orleans Saints. Perry retired from playing in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Golden</span> American football player and coach (born 1969)

Alfred James Golden Jr. is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator at the University of Notre Dame. He served as the head football coach at Temple University from 2006 to 2010 and the University of Miami from 2011 to 2015. Prior to head coaching, he was the defensive coordinator at the University of Virginia from 2001 to 2005. Golden played college football as a tight end at Pennsylvania State University and professionally for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL).

Ron Vanderlinden is a retired American college football coach. Vanderlinden was most recently the linebackers coach at Air Force. He served as the head football coach at the University of Maryland, College Park from 1997 to 2000, compiling a record of 15–29.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penn State Nittany Lions football</span> American football team

The Penn State Nittany Lions team represents the Pennsylvania State University in college football. The Nittany Lions compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference, which they joined in 1993 after playing as an Independent from 1892 to 1992.

The 2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

John Coleman Hufnagel is the president of the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was previously the Stampeders' head coach and played quarterback for fifteen professional seasons in the CFL and National Football League (NFL). Prior to his hiring to the Stampeders on December 3, 2007, he was the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants of the NFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Spaziani</span> American football player and coach (born 1947)

Frank Joseph Spaziani is an American football coach and former player. He served as the head football coach at Boston College from 2009 to 2012, compiling a record of 22 wins and 29 losses. Prior to becoming head coach, Spaziani served on the Eagles' coaching staff for 12 years, the last 10 as defensive coordinator. He also served as defensive coordinator at New Mexico State from 2016 to 2021.

The 2004 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Connor (American football)</span> American football player and coach (born 1985)

Daniel Murphy Connor is an American football coach and a former linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. He played college football at Penn State University, where he is currently a defensive analyst.

The 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 29, 2007 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and nationally televised by ESPN. The game was one of the 2007–08 NCAA football bowl games that concluded the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 15th Alamo Bowl and the first Alamo Bowl sponsored by the Valero Energy Corporation.

Teryl Austin is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017 and the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio State–Penn State football rivalry</span> American college football

The Ohio State–Penn State football rivalry is an American college football match between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Ohio State leads the series 24–14.

The 2011 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno for the first nine games until he was fired in the wake of the Penn State sex abuse scandal, with defensive coordinator Tom Bradley taking over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The team played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, US. They were members of the Big Ten Conference in the newly formed Leaders Division. They finished the season 9–4, 6–2 in the Leaders Division to be co–division champions with Wisconsin. Due to their head-to-head loss to Wisconsin, they did not represent the division in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. They were invited to the TicketCity Bowl where they lost to Houston 14–30.

Anthony Ray "D'Anton" Lynn II is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the USC Trojans of the Pac-12 Conference (NCAA). He was previously the defensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 TaxSlayer Bowl (January)</span> College football game

The 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl was a post-season American college football bowl game played on January 2, 2016, at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The 71st edition of the Gator Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten Conference against the Georgia Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference. It began at noon EST and aired on ESPN. It was one of the 2015–16 bowl games that concluded the 2015 FBS football season. The game's naming rights sponsor was tax preparation software company TaxSlayer.com, and for sponsorship reasons was officially known as the TaxSlayer Bowl.

Terry M. Smith is an American college football coach and former player. He played college football at Penn State and is currently the associate head coach, defensive recruiting coordinator and Cornerbacks coach for his college alma mater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brent Pry</span> American football player and coach (born 1970)

Brenton James Pry is an American football coach and former player who is currently the head coach at Virginia Tech. He previously served as the defensive coordinator at Penn State from 2016 to 2021. He played college football for the Buffalo Bulls.

References

  1. ↑ Matt Fitzgerald (2015-02-23). "Tom Bradley Hired as UCLA DC: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction". Bleacher Report.
  2. ↑ "Tom Bradley Coaching Profile". West Virginia University . Retrieved 2014-03-24.
  3. ↑ Foster, Chris (February 19, 2015). "UCLA looks to hire former Penn State assistant coach Tom Bradley". LA Times . Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  4. ↑ Cooper, Same (February 19, 2015). "Report: Tom Bradley 'close to being hired' as UCLA coordinator". Yahoo! Sports . Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Tom Bradley Football, Class of 1998". Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Tom Bradley, Charlie Batch headline newest Hall of Famers". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  7. ↑ "Gorman: Pittsburgh Athletic Association awards a great event". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  8. ↑ "Tom Bradley Profile". Pennsylvania State University . Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  9. ↑ Mark Schlabach (14 June 2007). "Bradley's roots run deep at Penn State". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  10. ↑ Zeise, Paul (2011-01-06). "Penn State's Bradley likely to get Pitt job". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
  11. ↑ Zeise, Paul (2011-01-06). "Outgoing coach Tom Bradley's full statement: "Penn State will always have my support"". Centre Daily Times. State College, PA. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
  12. ↑ Jake Trotter; Dana O'Neil (2014-02-21). "Tom Bradley takes West Virginia job". ESPN.
  13. ↑ "UCLA hires Tom Bradley as DC". espn.com. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 2015-02-23.
  14. ↑ Varley, Teresa (January 14, 2021). "Steelers make coaching staff changes". Pittsburgh Steelers Official Website. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  15. ↑ "Alumni Notes". Bishop McCort High School.
  16. ↑ "Penn State's next coach?". San Francisco Chronicle . 2007-10-23. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  17. 1 2 Frank Bodani. "Lions can count on "Scrap"". York Daily Record . Archived from the original on 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  18. ↑ TOMBRADLEYINC.COM
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.