JACKSONVILLE, FLA.--The Gus Bradley era begins with a blast of energy. The Jaguars new head coach says he is having to tell himself to calm down. "This is a great opportunity. What sold me here is the passion. I have great excitement. I am trying to hold back a little bit".
Bradleys' introduction caps a wild week. A last-second loss to Atlanta in the playoffs, an interview in Philadelphia for the Eagles head coaching job that was about to be offered until Chip Kelly reversed field from returning to Oregon to take the gig.
Bradley's interview with the Jaguars started at 10 a.m. Wednesday morning and finished around 2 a.m. with a long talk about the roster with Dave Caldwell.
The new general manager says Shad Khan's passion convinced him to take the
Jaguars job and it's the same deal with Bradley.
"It took me 2 seconds to know wanted to be with Shad and 2.1 seconds to know with Gus".
The 5th head coach in Jacksonville Jaguars history knew this was the right fit and he knew it right away, "There is a high regard for this franchise, a really high regard for the leadership. People told me there is something special going on down there Gus."
Bradley is at, or near, the top of the list for up-and-comers in the NFL, due to the impressions he has made in both Tampa Bay with Monte Kiffin and Jon Gruden and in Seattle with Pete Carroll. He stressed hiring a coaching staff and evaluating the roster as the top two things on his agenda.
In the end, the Jaguars 1-2 punch comes to Jacksonville from the Falcons and the Seahawks, two teams that by all accounts are doing things the right way. The winning way.
