Bryson Bonds spent the last six seasons as an Indiana football defensive back and special teams ace. After he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Hoosiers’ 2025 season opener last August, his on-field career ended after 49 games.
But Bonds’ time at Indiana hasn’t. He announced via an X post Monday that he will remain in Bloomington to serve as a special teams assistant for the Hoosiers in 2026.
“I’m ready to pour into the next group of players, contribute to a winning culture, and continue learning the game from a new perspective,” Bonds wrote in the post.
Bonds first arrived at Indiana in 2020 as a three-star recruit under former head coach Tom Allen and played in all eight of the Hoosiers’ games throughout the COVID season. He saw action in three contests in 2021, suffering an injury in the third game that forced him to redshirt.
The Fort Worth, Texas, native then played all 12 games in 2022 and 11 in 2023, amassing 21 tackles throughout the two campaigns. In 2024 — head coach Curt Cignetti’s first season at Indiana — Bonds notched 19 tackles across 13 games.
Bonds will work under special teams coordinator Grant Cain and senior special teams analyst Ryan McInerney. He’s the second former player in Cignetti’s tenure — joining running back Justice Ellison — to accept a role on the Hoosiers’ coaching staff at the conclusion of their collegiate careers.
“I’ve been fortunate to learn from incredible coaches, teammates, professors, and staff throughout the years, investing in my development both on and off the field,” Bonds said. “Now, I have the chance to give back to the same program that helped shape me.”
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football offseason.
