Terry Bradden’s first game as Nebraska’s defensive line coach will take place in the stadium he called home for eight years.
The Florida native worked on the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff from 2017 to 2024, and on Aug. 28, he’ll return to Arrowhead Stadium with the Huskers as Nebraska opens the season against the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Bradden won three Super Bowls and eight AFC West titles during his time with the Chiefs, but it was the people that had him excited about his return.
“I was texting Coach (Andy) Reid the other day, I was texting (defensive end) George Karlaftis, (defensive line coach) Joe Cullen, (defensive coordinator) Steve Spagnuolo …” Bradden said. “What’s special about it, from (former Chiefs defensive backs coach) Emmitt Thomas — being in that building, all those people that gave me my opportunity … I think it’s very, very special for me going back because I worked all those years, eight years, sleeping in the office sometimes, being there long, long nights, taking some AFC losses there, Dee Ford lining up offsides — love you, Dee Ford — but just things I’ve been through in that stadium.”
Bradden is as familiar with the stadium and the city as anyone, and his message to the team is simple: no distractions.
“It’s a beautiful stadium,” Bradden said. “I’ve been getting calls from George Karlaftis, guys of that nature talking about coming to the game, guys that I’ve coached, but it’s just one day at a time, focus on the small things.”
In Kanss City, Bradden worked with the likes of six-time All-Pro Chris Jones and Karlaftis, who recently signed a lucrative extension with the Chiefs. Now, he’s aiming to help Nebraska improve its d-line.
Coach Matt Rhule targeted Bradden to replace departed defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, who followed former Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White to Florida State. His first challenge in Lincoln is building up a group that lost a lot of production the departures of Philadelphia Eagles fourth-round draft pick Ty Robinson, run-stuffing nose tackle Nash Hutmacher and others.
After redshirting last season, sophomore defensive linemen Riley Van Poppel is poised to play a big role in 2025, and Bradden has already made a big impact on him.
“Every day, even when I don’t have the confidence in myself, he has it in me,” Van Poppel said. “So having a guy like that, it makes all the difference in the world for your game, and it’s why I look at myself as a player, it’s why I’m where I’m at … On those days when I wake up and I’m like, ‘Can I do this? I didn’t have a great day yesterday; can I do this?’ He doesn’t care. He’s like, ‘I’ve seen it in you, I know you have it, now I’m going to get it out of you.’
“So having a guy like that, I think it means the world to me, and I know to the rest of our room. And then along with that, his experience, his knowledge of the game, where he’s been at, you’d be an idiot to not listen to that guy.”
Junior Cam Lenhardt said he’s benefited greatly from working with Bradden as well.
“Big thing Coach Bradden has been working with me is finding the pass rush move that I can perfect,” Lenhardt said. “So now when I go out there, I know my move, and I want to work on it. So that’s one thing we’ve been working on a lot, is just specifying a certain pass rush move that I want to work on this season.”
Bradden is known for bringing energy to the practice field or meeting room, and he said he’s seeing his players reciprocate that energy.
“Iron sharpens iron,” Bradden said. “You’ve got Cam, if he sees me down, he picks me up, and that’s what it’s all about … because we all in this together. It’s about us — us, us, us, and I’m not talking about the d-line, I’m talking about everybody.”
Bradden will look to bring that energy to his old stomping grounds when the Huskers take on the Bearcats. Kickoff is set for Aug. 28 at 8 p.m. CT.
