Gus Bradley’s Son Joins 49ers, Creating Unique Father-Son Dynamic

National Football League: Gus Bradley’s Son Joins 49ers, Creating Unique Father-Son Dynamic

Updated Aug. 3, 2025, 9:23 p.m. ET

As a seasoned NFL coach, Gus Bradley seldom had the chance to watch his son, Carter, play football live during his high school and college years. While Carter was busy playing quarterback in high school in Florida and then at Toledo and South Alabama, Gus was preoccupied every fall weekend, preparing his teams for various games as either an assistant or head coach. taekwondo t shirt design Now, both are part of the same team after Carter Bradley signed a contract with the San Francisco 49ers last week, where Gus is embarking on his first season as a defensive assistant. city starts with a

“He’s really excited,” Gus shared on Sunday. “I can tell you that. We haven’t had much conversation. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind since it all happened, but I know he’s really thrilled to be here.”

Gus Bradley emphasized that his relationship with Carter has always leaned more towards father-son rather than coach-player. Their discussions have generally revolved around life lessons, such as how to cope with being cut, rather than just football strategies like reading a quarters defense. They had a heart-to-heart shortly after Carter was waived by the Raiders before training camp began. Gus learned that the 49ers intended to bring Carter in for a tryout and asked if it would be alright.

“I said, ‘Yeah, but just so you know, that’s Carter Bradley, and I’m Gus Bradley, and we’re separate,’” Gus explained. “You never want to put the organization in a tough spot, and that’s not how this organization operates. It’s too competitive, and there are limited roster spots.”

Carter took part in the tryout alongside several other players last Wednesday. After the workout, Gus and Carter had a brief conversation, and Gus said goodbye as he entered a meeting, expecting Carter to head home right away. When he emerged from the meeting later that day, Gus found Carter still at the facility, waiting for updates. Carter received confirmation later that day that he had made the team. Coach Kyle Shanahan noted that Carter performed excellently in the tryout and had shown promise during the previous preseason games with the Raiders, ultimately earning the spot as the team’s fourth quarterback.

“That’s what I appreciate about them,” Gus stated. “It wasn’t like, ‘Gus, hey, we’ll give you a heads-up pba start 2023. m3 bracket Here’s what we’re going to do.’ It was truly, he’s Carter Bradley. I’m over on the defensive side, and we’ll handle it that way.”

While Gus acknowledges that he has a deeper interest in Carter’s performance compared to other offensive players, he manages to compartmentalize his feelings during practices, focusing intently on the defensive side of the ball. Sometimes, he only realizes what Carter did on a particular play during film review later.

“I’m not going to lie — I’m still a parent, and he’s here,” Gus admitted. “But I thought it would be a constant concern, like, how’s he doing? It’s really not that way. nhl expert picks It’s about Gus, where did that play hit? You can’t focus on the offense while also being aware of the entire defense.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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