Jaguars-Titans Rivalry Won't Exactly See Round 2 of Coen-Saleh

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars-Tennessee Titans rivalry is alive as ever, even with the Titans' latest recent run of on- and off-field disaray.

Still, anyone who watches the two hated rivals play this season with expectations of Round II between Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and new Titans head coach Robert Saleh will likely be disappointed.

Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen looks on during warmups before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Beef Squashed

As both coaches have pointed out since the Jaguars defeated the San Francisco 49ers and Saleh in Week 4 last year, their post-game dustup was just that, and it has not carried over at all beyond the 2025 season.

"We're good," Saleh noted at the NFL's League Meeting in Phoenix. "I know the NFL probably wants more of a story, but there's no story. I have an appreciation for Liam. Like I said, I used the wrong word when I was trying to give him a compliment, but all that's under the bridge."

liam coe — September 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen during the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Jaguars' defeat of the 49ers last year came after Saleh spoke during the week and said the Jaguars have one of the NFL's best "legal sign-stealing" processes. The implication of the statement led to some bad blood, and Coen let Saleh know all about it after the Jaguars knocked off the 49ers.

But when the two teams face off in 2026, the Coen-Saleh battle will likely dominate only headlines. Otherwise, the hurt feelings will actually come between two franchises that have never been shy about their disdain for one another.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen speaks during a press conference at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"They were all joking on us yesterday about it. Sean [Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay] was killing Kyle [San Francisco 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan] and Saleh [Tennessee Titans Head Coach Robert Saleh] about sign stealing and then they were killing me about keeping their name out of my mouth. It was fun," Coen said at the owners meetings.

"I have a ton of respect for Kyle, for Robert, and those guys. [Denver Broncos Head Coach] Sean Payton yesterday, was like, dude, that was pretty good. We're all finding those edges in those different ways of trying to motivate your team, motivate yourself, motivate your community. We're all doing that on a constant basis and so like when those things may happen, we joke on them after the fact and when we're here, but we can all appreciate because we all respect what we're doing and how we are all doing it in different ways.”

Mar 31, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

This doesn't mean either coach is going to stop looking for edges for their teams to take advantage of. But anyone expecting a repeat of their viral 2025 interaction is likely going to leave disappointed. Instead, they can watch Coen and Saleh lock horns where it really matters: on the field.