Terry Bradden enters his third season as the assistant defensive line coach with the Chiefs in 2023 after serving three seasons as the defensive quality control coach (2018-20) and one as a defensive assistant (2017).
Bradden worked closely with Joe Cullen and the defensive line in 2022, helping guide the defensive front to 55.0 sacks (-388 yards), which was the second most in the league en route to the club's eventual Super Bowl LVII victory. DT Chris Jones tied his own season-high sack number of 15.5, which he previously notched in 2018 and secured his fourth-consecutive Pro Bowl nomination. Jones highlighted his season when he took down elusive Bengals QB Joe Burrow in the AFC Championship Game (1/29/23) for 2.0 sacks. His performance through the 2022 season earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Year (101 Awards), selected to the AP All-Pro (first-team) and was voted by his teammates to be a playoff captain. Bradden also helped mentor rookie DE George Karlaftis to 6.0 sacks (-40.0 yards) with seven passes defensed and 11 quarterback pressures. Karlaftis' six sacks was the fifth-most for a rookie in franchise history.
In 2021, Bradden worked alongside Brendan Daly overseeing the defensive line. Jones led the team with 9.0 sacks, including a single-game career-high of 3.5 sacks of Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (11/21/21), en route to his third Pro Bowl selection. DE Frank Clark ranked second on the team with 4.5 sacks. Both DE Mike Danna and DT Derrick Nnadi posted career highs in sacks that season with 3.0 each.
In 2020, as a defensive quality control coach Bradden worked mostly with a defensive line that included Pro Bowlers Jones and Clark. Jones and Clark ranked first and second on the team in sacks with 7.5 and 6.0, respectively. Jones was named to the AP All-Pro (second team) and named to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.
In 2019, Bradden primarily worked with the defensive backs. He worked with S Tyrann Mathieu who was nominated to the AP All-Pro Team for the second time and CB Charvarius Ward who had a productive season, recording 56 tackles, 10 passes defensed and two interceptions.
Bradden spent the 2018 season working with the defensive line including third-year Jones who led the team with 15.5 sacks, ranking third in the NFL behind AP's Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald (20.5) and All-Pro DE J.J. Watt (16.0). He spent the 2017 season working closely with the defensive backs unit under the tutelage of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Chiefs Hall of Famer Emmitt Thomas.
Prior to joining the Chiefs, Bradden served as a quarterback graduate assistant at Bethune Cookman University for the 2016 season. He was named to the first American Football Coaches Association top 30 under 30 class that year.
Before his season in Daytona Beach, Bradden spent the 2014 season at Florida Atlantic University as the quality control special teams coach before returning to his alma mater, Inlet Grove High School as the head football coach and athletic director for the 2015 season. He claimed the title of the youngest head football coach and athletic director in the state of Florida at the age of 24. Bradden played two seasons at Inlet Grove, leading the Hurricanes to consecutive Class 2A regional semifinal berths as a junior and senior (2008-09).
The Riviera Beach, Florida, native played quarterback for three seasons at Howard University (2009-11) in Washington, D.C., before transferring to Education: Tuskegee University (B.S. 2014). Born: Riviera Beach, Fla. Family: Wife - Kendall; Sons - Christopher and Carter.
