Titans Made Right Move Hiring Robert Saleh

The Tennessee Titans are bringing Robert Saleh into the fold as the franchise's next head coach.

While Saleh struggled in four seasons with the New York Jets as their head coach from 2021 to 2024, the Titans feel that he is the best man available to lead the Titans back towards relevancy in the NFL. ESPN insider Ben Solak agrees, giving the Titans an "A" for hiring Saleh.

"While many Titans fans were probably just rooting for anyone but Matt Nagy -- who was considered one of the favorites to land the job -- Saleh really is one of the best available hires. From 2021 to 2024, when he was the head coach of the Jets, New York's defense was first in points per drive surrendered, first in EPA per play and third in success rate," Solak wrote.

"But perhaps his best coaching came while running the 49ers' defense in 2025, when the absence of Fred Warner and Nick Bosa did not stop them from gritting out the necessary stops to not just make the playoffs but also win a postseason game. He never got the quarterback spot right in New York, but Ward already gives him a better shot in Tennessee. I'm bullish on this move."

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh walks off of the field after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Saleh Hire Earns Praise From Analyst

Saleh learned a lot from his four years with the Jets and applied it this past season as he returned to the San Francisco 49ers as their defensive coordinator. The 49ers were one of the best defenses in the league this past season, which is why Saleh was back in the head coaching carousel as a top candidate. The Titans ultimately felt he was the right guy over Matt Nagy, who worked with Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Titans went with a head coach with no prior experience when they hired Brian Callahan two years ago, so they wanted to go with someone who had a proven track record this time around in Saleh.

"Borgonzi outlined the need for a leader who isn't afraid of conflict and is willing to hold people accountable," ESPN insider Turron Davenport wrote.

"Conflict is no stranger to Saleh after his time with the Jets. Saleh's tenure in New York taught him the importance of connecting with the whole roster, something he worked on when he returned to the 49ers as the defensive coordinator last season. That's another quality Borgonzi pointed to as a necessary trait. Overall, Saleh seems to fit the mold the Titans need."

The hope is that Saleh can bring out a different level of accountability and competitiveness from the Titans that wasn't previously there. The roster is still one of the worst in the NFL, but that's for Borgonzi to change in the draft and free agency.

If Mike Borgonzi can reverse poor trends from the drafts, and Saleh can bring out the best in the players, the Titans might start winning more than three football games in a season again.

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