One of two reported additions to the Tennessee Titans’ defensive coaching staff on Friday, Tennessee is hiring ex-Atlanta Falcons linebackers coach Frank Bush to the same role.
Bush has an extensive coaching background that dates all the way back to 2003. He’s held the title of linebackers coach a whopping eight times, with his latest stop being with the Falcons for three seasons.
Bush is already very familiar with the franchise he’s joining, as he’s had multiple stints with the Oilers/Titans.
We go over that and more as we take a look at three things to know about the Titans’ new (kind of) linebackers coach.
Multiple stints with the Oilers/Titans
Bush entered the NFL as a player when he was selected in the fifth round of the 1985 draft by the Houston Oilers. He ended up spending two years with the franchise, which were his only two in the league.
After his playing days were over, Bush became the linebackers coach of the Oilers for two seasons (1993-94), and then returned to the franchise in the same role with the Titans for another two years (2011-12).
Dennard Wilson and Ran Carthon connections
General manager Ran Carthon served as the Los Angeles Rams’ director of player personnel from 2012-16 while Bush was the team’s linebackers coach from 2013-16. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson’s time with the Rams overlapped with those two, as he was defensive backs coach from 2015-16.
Bush was also on the New York Jets’ staff from 2019-20 as an assistant head coach and linebackers coach (and later, interim defensive coordinator) while defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson was the defensive backs coach and passing-game coordinator during the same span.
Success with Falcons LBs
Despite losing starter Troy Andersen to a season-ending injury, the Falcons still saw solid play from their linebackers in 2023, with Atlanta’s defense improving from No. 18 to No. 9 in yards per rush allowed.
Good coaches. Steven Jackson did a good job in Atlanta with the DBs and Frank Bush was a great developer in the middle of the defense. https://t.co/7ETeUgnZca
— 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒕 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒌 🐦⬛🏈🇬🇪🇺🇦🇱🇻 (@CarasikS) February 2, 2024
A former undrafted free agent, Nate Landman did a terrific job filling the void, with the second-year linebacker tallying 110 tackles and an elite PFF grade of 85.2 against the run.
Kaden Elliss was the star of the group, though. Granted, he was already established after a strong season with the New Orleans Saints, but his transition to Atlanta was seamless.
The veteran linebacker tallied career-highs in tackles (122), tackles for loss (11) and pressures (26), with the pressures being the the fourth-most at the position in the NFL. He turned four of those pressures into sacks, which amounted to the second-most of his career.
In all, Elliss sported an impressive overall PFF grades of 75.0, and marks of 78.3 in run defense, 73.3 in the pass-rush and 64.8 in coverage. PFF named him the Falcons’ “Secret Superstar” of 2023.
Another notch on Bush’s belt was his assist in the development of linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, who had a strong year in 2021 with career-highs in tackles (192), passes defensed (six) and interceptions (three) before he managed to land a big free-agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
