Jacksonville Jaguars fire Gus Bradley: Players reactions are somber
By Luke Sims
Former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley wasn’t a winner where it mattered, but that hardly stopped his players from growing to love him.
It didn’t take long after Gus Bradley’s firing for reports from Jacksonville Jaguars to start to trickle in. The team, long in losing, would be excused if they came out happy following Bradley’s dismissal, but the feelings appeared to be mostly sobering and somber.
Bradley was well liked in the Jags organization and across the NFL. He is a players coach and some other team will find value in that, even with his poor record as a head coach. The players’ reactions were reflective of this, often citing what a good man he truly was.
I don't care what nobody says Coach Gus Bradley is a great coach. And I would play for him any day. It sucks to see him go out like that.
— Winston Guy Jr. (@winstonguyjr) December 18, 2016
Another #jags player called Bradley a good guy & a friend but said he was too much of a player's coach. "Wasn't strong enough" w/ players.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) December 18, 2016
Nothing but respect for Gus. Great coach, and even a greater person.
— Neal Sterling (@Neal_Sterling) December 18, 2016
Gus Bradley will one day be known as a master mind, we let you down Gus. Sometimes innovators are ahead of their time.
— Roy Miller III (@Roy_Miller_III) December 18, 2016
The changing of leadership can be a stressful time for any organization, but it is made a lot easier when it is handled with appreciation and class. The Jags players’ reactions to Bradley were appreciative, even when they knew they were simply waiting for this fateful day to come (per Mike Kaye at First Coast News). In return, Bradley supplied the class – as he always has done – acting in a professional and appreciative manner during his farewell press conference.
Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny may have summed up the mood best, stating , “it’s our fault” and that the team feels terrible having let Bradley down.
Despite the somber, appreciative tone to the departure, you can be sure this change breathes new life in the 2016 Jaguars and the 2017 Jaguars. This team has not played up to its talent level all season and will have an opportunity to build momentum here at the end of the season and write a new chapter for the franchise when 2016 finally comes to a close.
Next: Jaguars' patience with Bradley doomed the team
Until then, it’s worth listening to these players to get an added perspective to this change we all saw coming. While we’ve been critical of Bradley here at B&T, we also remain appreciative. Bradley did, for a time, give the Jaguars hope. He led with class and professionalism. We wish him the best in his future endeavors, though we hope that the new Jags chapters are filled with far more winning than Bradley was able to deliver.