He'll be coaching in his third Super Bowl in six years, but former Bethune-Cookman University Terry Bradden Jr. isn't taking anything for granted. Playing in February is what every NFL team works to do.

For Bradden, it's almost a reminder of where he's come from.

"It's a blessing,  Bradden said from Phoenix as he and the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. "I'll always be grateful to B-CU they gave me. Hail Wildcats"

Bradden was a graduate assistant at B-CU in 2017 when the NFL invited B-CU's staff to help out with the Pro Bowl in Orlando. While there. Bradden met Emmitt Thomas, a Hall of Fame cornerback and then the Chiefs' defensive back coach.
That led to a conversation with Ted Crews, the Chiefs PR guy (and a product of South Carolina State) and an introduction to Head Coach Andy Reid.

Two weeks later, Bradden's interviewing for an open position as Defensive Quality Coach.

Six years and one Super Bowl championship later, Bradden's the assistant defensive line coach for a unit that's one of the top ten in the league in pass defense and considered one of the team's strongest points outside of Patrick Mahomes.

"I was prepared well for this situation," Bradden said. "I was blessed with the opportunity and showed that anything is possible."

Bethune-Cookman has another connection with these Chiefs – defensive end Carlos Dunlap is the stepson of former Wildcat standout Roger Jackson, who graduated in 1982 and played for the Denver Broncos for five years.

Kansas City and Philadelphia kick off Sunday at 6:30 p.m.