Titans' Robert Saleh Stressing Game Management With New Hire

Now that the Tennessee Titans officially have a new leader in head coach Robert Saleh, visions about and plans for the future of the franchise can officially start to take hold. With rookie quarterback Cam Ward leading the (expected to be revamped) roster and a whole host of new minds on the sideline, it's a different, arguably much more compelling look in Nashville from the get-go.

Saleh, after struggling to remove the New York Jets from the mire of their decades of unending failure, returned to being a defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers, b time until his second opportunity at a top job eventually arose.

With Tennessee this time around, the HC is working in multiple manners to make sure things are different. Part of that has been, as it relates to his Jets tenure, getting ahead of old problems.

An In-Ear Aide

After struggling with (and being criticized for) in-game, management-related decisions during his tenure with the New York Jets, Saleh and the Titans' front office are set to bring on Cade Knox to be in Saleh's ear. According to Paul Kuharsky, shared in a post on X (Twitter), Knox's role will be simply to assist Saleh with "timeouts, challenges and game-day decisions."

Following the report that Saleh was set to add a dedicated nickel coach to the staff, Knox's addition adds another layer of unique support to a staff that Saleh seems intent on packing to the brim.

The New Stretch?

Cade Knox will be in Robert Saleh’s ear on timeouts, challenges and game-day decisions for the #Titans.https://t.co/0bUSPwcVm9
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) January 31, 2026

Knox, while technically replacing the let-go Rob Riederer, joins the Titans after serving as an offensive assistant and game manager for Brian Daboll and the New York Giants from 2022-25, as Kuharsky notes.

Getting Right to Work

He, along with OL coach Carmen Bricillo, makes a handful of voices on the sideline that have followed Daboll to Tennessee after his hiring as offensive coordinator. It's often a matter of connections in the NFL, and the Titans are building a group of minds who should know each other well enough to get right to work.

Tennessee Titans new head coach Robert Saleh | DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although Saleh and the Titans still have a few questions to answer regarding the staff - specifically, who will take over as defensive coordinator for the team - these potentially lesser-known additions serve almost as much excitement as the signings that generate headlines.

Saleh's new regime is wasting no time putting the pieces in place to succeed. Knox isn't the first sensible, extra addition, and he definitely won't be the last.

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