Bill Bradley Named Hartford Colonials Safeties Coach
Published on April 20, 2011 under United Football League (UFL 1)
Hartford Colonials News Release
EAST HARTFORD, CT - April 20, 2011 - HARTFORD COLONIALS head coach and general manager JERRY GLANVILLE announced BILL BRADLEY, a former National Football League player and coach, has been named safeties coach.
A three-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro free safety, Bradley played nine seasons in the NFL and coached for eight years. This season marks this third straight in the United Football League after spending the last two years as secondary coach for the Florida Tuskers.
"I'm totally excited about it," Bradley said. "Having coached in the league for two years in Orlando and getting this opportunity to take it a step further with Coach Glanville and the staff he's put together is just a wonderful deal. I feel like a kid in a candy story. It's fantastic."
Prior to the UFL, Bradley was San Diego Chargers secondary coach for two seasons (2007-08) and helped in the development of All-Pro cornerback ANTONIO CROMARTIE. In Bradley's first season in San Diego, Cromartie had an NFL-leading 10 interceptions.
"He was probably the most phenomenal athlete I ever coached," Bradley said. "We had to teach him some technique in zone and man coverage, and how to study the game and how to focus. He really got good at it."
Previously, Bradley was defensive backs coach with the Buffalo Bills (1998-2000) and New York Jets (2001-03). Bradley and Colonials quarterbacks coach TURK SCHONERT were both part of WADE PHILLIPS' staff in Buffalo for three seasons, and the Bills made the playoffs twice during that span. In 1999, the last time Buffalo qualified for the postseason, Bradley's secondary helped the team lead the NFL in pass defense.
"Bill has the experience of making all the checks in the back end of the defense vs. all the motion and shifts that happen before the ball is snapped," Glanville said. "He's a good teacher. He preaches smart football and the players always play hard and do not make mistakes."
Bradley was defensive coordinator at Baylor for three seasons (2004-06). The Bears passing defense improved from No. 101 in the nation in 2003 to No. 62 in Bradley's first season to No. 13 in 2005.
Bradley honed his coaching skills in the wide-open Canadian Football League, starting with the Calgary Stampeders (1988-90). He later was an assistant coach with the Sacramento Gold Miners (1994) and San Antonio Texans ('95), and was defensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts when the team won consecutive Grey Cup championships in 1996-97.
Bradley began his coaching career in 1983 as assistant defensive backs coach for the San Antonio Gunslingers of the defunct United States Football League. The following season he was defensive secondary coach for San Antonio, and held the same position with the USFL's Memphis Showboats in 1985. He also served as defensive backs coach with the San Antonio Riders of the World League of American Football in 1991-92.
Bradley, a native of Palestine, TX., played nine seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles (1969-76) and St. Louis Cardinals ('77). Between 1971-73 he was selected to three Pro Bowls at free safety and was named First Team All-Pro twice in that three-year span. His 34 career interceptions with the Eagles remains the most in team history, as he shares the franchise record with Eric Allen and Brian Dawkins.
Bradley is one of six assistants under Glanville who coached or played in the NFL. The Hartford staff, including Glanville, has 127 years combined NFL experience in coaching (74 years) and playing (53 years).
The UFL begins its third season in August as the Colonials play an eight-game schedule against teams from Las Vegas, Omaha, Sacramento and Virginia. The 2011 schedule will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can register for tickets for the 2011 Colonials season at www.HartfordColonials.com.
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- Bill Bradley Named Hartford Colonials Safeties Coach - Hartford Colonials
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