Gus Bradley Reflects on Eagles Interview
MOBILE, Ala. -- The shaved head Eagles fans glimpsed from news helicopter footage just one short week earlier was covered by a Jacksonville Jaguars cap Tuesday, as Gus Bradley stood on the Ladd-Peebles Stadium turf and reflected on a dizzying NFL hiring process.
Gus Bradley Reflects on Eagles Interview
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
MOBILE, Ala. -- The shaved head Eagles fans glimpsed from news helicopter footage just one short week earlier was covered by a Jacksonville Jaguars cap Tuesday, as Gus Bradley stood on the Ladd-Peebles Stadium turf and reflected on a dizzying NFL hiring process.
Nine days previously, Bradley had run the Seattle Seahawks' defense in their playoff loss at Atlanta, the day after Bradley first talked to the Eagles about their head-coaching job. Bradley acknowledged Tuesday that he was preoccupied with the looming playoff game that first time around, talked to the Eagles only briefly.
A week ago though, Bradley flew from the Seattle area to Northeast Philadelphia Airport with thousands of Eagles fans tracking his flight online. He stepped off the plane to a waiting SUV with news helicopters hovering, and they also recorded his arrival at Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie's Wynnewood mansion.
At the time, Eagles Nation was fixated on the "Gus Bus," and whether the Birds would be able to sign Bradley before he left for an interivew the next day in Jacksonville. Only the Eagles' brass, Chip Kelly, and Kelly's agent, David Dunn, knew Kelly had reentered the field, and that the Eagles were negotiating with Kelly as they entertained Bradley. Lurie has said that he only told Bradley the Eagles were involved with another candidate, who "had head coaching experience."
Did Bradley, like most of Philadelphia, think that night he was close to getting the job? The Eagles have said they would have hired Bradley if they couldn't have gotten Kelly.
"I didn't know," Bradley said after Tuesday's North team practice at the Senior Bowl. "I knew that they just needed some time. My whole intent was to go down to Jacksonville and see what that was all about. Once I got on the plane and was headed there, I forgot about Philadelphia. I knew that would come in time, their decision, and I really wanted my focus to be to do a good job down in Jacksonville."
The "Gus Bus" Philly hysteria "was crazy," Bradley said, laughing. He said that after he landed, he was told the intense media interest was why his chartered jet was diverted from Philadelphia International Airport to the Northeast.
"It was flattering," he said. "I think it wasn't me, it was just the possibility of a new head coach."
Bradley said he learned he wasn't getting the Eagles' job in a Wednesday phone call from Lurie. He said he never knew Kelly was the other finalist.
"We had a great conversation," Bradley said. "I thought they handled it first-class. The whole process and how they dealt with me, I couldn't ask for a better opportunity and I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed getting to know what they were looking for."
Being a philly sports writer means never having to say you're sorry.— retzlaff- And, being a Philly sports fan means never having to make sense.— maurysline
- It's depressing to see Negadelphians are alive and well, dismissing the new HC in less than a week, months before a down is played. No surprise that the perception outside the city from media and other NFL fans alike is that Philadelphia has cornered the bitterness market...— chesapeake
- I agree, Chesapeake. I am 100% behind Chip Kelly and the Eagles as they embark on this exciting rebuilding of our beloved (and besmirched) team. The results will speak for themselves. Anyone who considers themselves an Eagles fan needs to give this coach and team the benefit of the doubt for at least several years. So stop whining and complaining and give the guy a frigging chance!— Squizzy Magee
- The 'so called' fans that are complaining, US as true PHILLY fans call them; "Fair Weather Fans" or people from NJ(lol)..— trimski1
- Eagles went with a very successful college coach that seems to understand the importance of surrounding yourself with great coordinators unlike Reid. Bradley seems like a great guy and is a very good defensive coordinator...other then that....we dont know a thing about how this will turn out for either. If i was Bradley I would have returned to Seattle and won a bowl..not taken over a dead franchise.
— RealizticFan - I am a Eagle's fan since 1960, I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly,I was not a Chip kelly fan when he was in Oregon, I think he was over hye, when his teams fced a ro style defense they were beaten, niners and ravens are in because of their defense, Falcons put up 24 in the first but there defense couldn't stop the other team, like our Eagles, was it a bad hire time well tell, but I am not sold on this hire and won't be until a Lombardi trophy is in Philly, anything short of that we will in no better position if we had kept Reid.— PHILLY76
- I'd like to see an old-head, experienced DC, possibly with the same snarl that the new O-line coach has. But, what I'd love to see is Seth Joyner as LB coach.— uncle meat
- No time for the haters. Go Birds.— RoseTreeRob
- The day will come when Lurie realizes that he hired the wrong coach.— SteveS11
I seem to remember people going crazy that the birds didn't hire Jim Haslett when Andy was hired. Granted there was no Super Bowl to be had by either coach, but I think we did wind up with the better coach at the time. Only time will tell.- well we will see if Kelly is the guy over the next few years..... if he isnt Howie is gonna look like a true beginner— pr0f3ss0r
- I can't wait to see what Mr. Great Football Mind is going to do with the Eagles. Jeff Lurie fired a pass happy coach to hire a pass happy coach who hires a pass happy offensive coordinator. No Lombardi's for us...SAD :-(— MrBigDizzle
- General consensus is that during this hiring process the Eagles' conducted themselves pretty well. No Ray Horton incidents.
It seems like they did their due diligence, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. That being said, I don't like hiring D coaches without a DC. We've already seen that not working out so well. Its Mgmt 101...
Who's going to want to take over a unit that needs work from the ground up & not be able to bring in your own guys?— yobill626
