The Tennessee Titans have hired 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their new head coach. He takes over a Titans team that ended its season with a 3-14 record and a last-place finish in the AFC South Division. Tennessee is reportedly signing Saleh to a five-year deal. He takes the reins of a franchise that surrendered 478 points to opposition offenses this past season.
Saleh was previously the head coach of the New York Jets from 2021 to October 2024. The team’s record during his tenure was 20-36, amid an unstable management environment and a cluttered quarterback situation. The Titans’ recent history has also been chaotic, but he inherits a potential superstar in quarterback Cam Ward.
Saleh’s Background
Known as a defensive guru, Saleh began his coaching career with the Houston Texans in 2005, where he rose from a defensive intern to assistant linebackers coach in six years. He then spent three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks as their defensive quality coach.
Saleh next joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he served as their linebackers coach from 2014 to 2016. He made a name for himself as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020. His defense was a key component of the San Francisco team that earned a berth in the 2019 Super Bowl.
Next, he was hired to lead the Jets in the tough AFC East Division. While Saleh initially brought improvement to the New York defense, his inability to develop young quarterback Marc Wilson and the disaster that was Aaron Rodgers proved to be his undoing. But he returned to the 49ers as their defensive coordinator in 2025, where his team ranked 11th in points allowed despite suffering injuries to key personnel.
Hope in Tennessee?
Besides Ward’s presence, there are other upsides Saleh is walking into in Tennessee. The Titans have the fourth overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. The team has over $100 million to spend on free agents. Also, the Titans have invested heavily in their offensive line, albeit with few tangible positive results. And they will premiere a domed stadium on Week 1 of the 2027 NFL season.
With Saleh’s reputation as a defensive genius, one of his first tasks will be hiring an offensive coordinator who can bring out the best in Cam Ward and surround him with the players he needs to succeed. There are already rumors that former New York Giants coach Brian Daboll is being considered for the position. This hire will likely have to wait because Daboll is still under consideration for some of the remaining head coach vacancies, including the recently vacated Buffalo Bills job.
In Closing
Perhaps the second time will be a charm for Robert Saleh in his head coaching career. While it is less than an ideal situation that he steps into with the Titans, the team hopes he can bring some stability to the franchise and deliver them from their extended doldrums.
