The Nebraska football team appears to have finished its defensive staff reshuffle with the hiring of Kansas City Chiefs assistant defensive line coach Terry Bradden. He’ll be running that unit for the Huskers.
Bradden replaces Terrance Knighton, who followed defensive coordinator Tony White to Florida State. And with Bradden’s arrival, there appears to be some excitement over the idea of someone who has had as much success as the Chiefs’ defensive assistant had in charge of the NU defensive front.
There have been plenty of people praising Bradden for sure, but one voice stands out in the form of former Nebraska football defensive back Dicaprio Bootle. He took to social media earlier this week to make sure people knew he was very much in favor of the hire. “Incredible Hire,” Bootle wrote on Twitter. “Coach Bradden raises and upholds the standard. I’m excited for the guys.”
They have NO CLUE what’s about to happen CAP!!!! This man will Enhance Big Red culture in an amazing way which will penetrate throughout that entire building! From the HC to the kitchen workers and janitors!
— David Merritt, Sr. (@DavidMerrittSr1) December 12, 2024
MARK MY WORD!
Ex-Nebraska football DB sings praises of new DL coach
Bootle was a four year starter with the Huskers from 2017 to 2020 with 2018 being far and away his best season. That year he racked up 39 total tackles a forced fumble and a Big Ten leading 15 passes defended.
Starting in 2021, Bootle played two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he crossed paths with Bradden and clearly liked what he saw from the assistant coach, despite not being in his position group.
Bootle spent 2023 with Carolina and has appeared in six games for the Los Angeles Chargers this season, but clearly still likes what Bradden brings to the table.
Not long after the former Husker defensive back wrote his post, David Merritt Sr., the father of one of the newest Husker defenders, Dawson Merritt echoed Bootle’s comments in a reply on the social media site.
“They have NO CLUE what’s about to happen CAP!!!!” Merritt wrote. “This man will Enhance Big Red culture in an amazing way which will penetrate throughout that entire building! From the HC to the kitchen workers and janitors! MARK MY WORD!”
It just so happens that not only is David Merritt Dawson's father, but he’s the Chiefs’ defensive backs coach. Like the former Nebraska football star, he knows what he’s talking about when he sings the praises of Terry Bradden.