Coaching Career
After graduating from Penn State in 1978, he was named a graduate assistant for the 1979 season. He became a full-time assistant midway through the 1979 season. Over the next 20 years, he coached the running backs, wide receivers, defensive backs and special teams. After the retirement of longtime defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky in 1999, Bradley was named his successor. In addition to his role with the defense at Penn State, Bradley has been a highly successful recruiter for the Nittany Lions. Bradley served as a 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 Arrington, Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor, Devon Still, and Shane Conlan, David Macklin. Bradley was a part of 33 Bowl Games at Penn State.
Bradley and Galen Hall served as "co-head coaches" for part of the 2006 season when Paterno was out with an injury sustained during a game at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Hall remained in his usual place in the press box while Bradley coached from the sidelines.
Bradley remained loyal to Penn State and Paterno, and it was widely rumored that Paterno was grooming him as a 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."
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. 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. He had spent the first 37 years of his adult life at Penn State as a player, graduate assistant and full-time assistant.
Read more about this topic: Tom Bradley (American Football)
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