CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Ronnie Bradford, a former 10-year NFL defensive back with 20 years of coaching experience, has been named Illinois' secondary coach, head coach Bret Bielema announced. Bradford joins the Illini after most recently serving as senior special teams assistant for the Miami Dolphins for the last two seasons (2024-25).Â
Bradford was the defensive coordinator at Montana in 2023, leading one of the top-ranked defenses in program history to the FCS National Championship Game. Montana's 2023 defense ranked in the top 20 in the nation in nearly every statistical category, including scoring defense (5th, 17.2), turnovers forced (10th, 24), interceptions (4th, 17), rushing defense (15th, 108.5), passing efficiency defense (5th, 111.39), and total defense (18th, 314.7).
Bradford spent three seasons at Montana from 2021-23, coaching cornerbacks and serving as assistant head coach from 2021-22 prior to his promotion to defensive coordinator for the 2023 season. He helped lead Montana to 31 wins and three playoff appearances, while the Grizzlies finished top 20 in the nation in scoring defense during all three seasons.Â
"We are excited to welcome Coach Bradford to the Illini FamILLy," said Bielema. "His extensive experience, both in college football and the NFL, will make an immediate impact in our building. Coach Bradford was a standout NFL defensive back and has translated that success to coaching, including coordinating one of the top-ranked defenses in Montana history in 2023. He will work primarily with our safeties, while defensive backs coach Corey Parker will work primarily with our cornerbacks."
"Thank you to Coach Bielema for the opportunity to coach an elite group of student-athletes at this prestigious university at a top conference in college football," said Bradford. "I am excited to coach with Bobby Hauck and build on the success that has been established here at Illinois. I can't wait to experience the Illini faithful and our enthusiastic fan base!"
Prior to Montana, Bradford spent three seasons as the secondary coach at USC from 2016-18. He helped the Trojans assemble one of the nation's top defensive backfields, leading to two 10+-win seasons and two top-10 finishes in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Bradford coached 2016 Thorpe Award winner Adoree' Jackson, who was a Consensus All-American and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Jackson was selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and the third-highest picked cornerback of the draft. He was one of four defensive backs drafted out of USC during Bradford's tenure, including Leon McQuay III (2017, 6th round), Iman Marshall (2019, fourth round), and Marvell Tell (2019, fifth round).
Before his time at USC, Bradford spent three seasons as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Louisiana Tech from 2013-15. Louisiana Tech had two 9-win seasons during his three-year stint, including bowl victories in the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl over Illinois and the 2015 New Orleans Bowl over Arkansas State.
Bradford's defensive backs helped Louisiana Tech intercept 57 passes during his three seasons, finishing in the top 15 in the nation twice. Louisiana Tech led the nation in interceptions with 26 in 2014 on the way to the Conference USA West Division title. The special teams also shined, blocking seven kicks combined during the bowl seasons of 2014 and 2015.
After spending the first seven seasons of his coaching career in the NFL, Bradford got his start in college football at California in 2010 as a defensive administrative assistant, then spent one season at Memphis as the team's safeties coach in 2011.Â
Bradford's first six seasons in NFL coaching were spent with the Denver Broncos from 2003-08, then he spent the 2009 season with the Kansas City Chiefs. With the Broncos, he was a special teams assistant in 2003, the special teams coach from 2004-06, a defensive backs assistant in 2007, and the defensive backs coach in 2008. As the special teams coach, he worked with kicker Jason Elam, who had the NFL's third most field goals and points from 2003-06, and as the defensive backs coach, he coached NFL All-Pro standouts Champ Bailey and Dre Bly.
Bradford played 10 seasons in the NFL as a defensive back with the Broncos (1993-95), Arizona Cardinals (1996), Atlanta Falcons (1997-2001), and Minnesota Vikings (2002). He played in 136 games with 99 starts and totaled 523 tackles, 14 interceptions (with 1 TD), 70 pass deflections, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He intercepted John Elway in Super Bowl XXXIII as a member of the 1998 NFC champion Falcons.
Bradford was a four-year letterman and two-year starting cornerback at Colorado from 1989-92. He was a member of Colorado's 1990 national championship team and his block of Notre Dame's PAT attempt in the final minutes of the Orange Bowl preserved the Buffaloes' 10-9 victory. He was named All-Big 8 First Team as a senior.
Bradford was enshrined in the Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024.Â
Bradford is a native of Commerce City, Colorado, and graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in communication. He has three children.
