Getty
Robert Saleh was introduced as Titans head coach on Thursday, discussing Cam Ward, Brian Daboll, and more.
Robert Saleh spent his first press conference as Tennessee Titans’ head coach, outlining exactly how he plans to develop Cam Ward, and the message was simple. The franchise quarterback’s rookie season is over. Now comes the real work.
New Tennessee Titans Head Coach Robert Saleh has Big Plans for Cam Ward
Ward survived 2025. He threw for 3,169 yards, tossed 15 touchdowns against seven interceptions, and started all 17 games for a Titans team that finished 3-14. But surviving isn’t the goal. Saleh wants Ward ready to thrive in his second year.
“From everything that I’ve gathered, just all the discussions I’ve had throughout the building and throughout the league, (Ward) comes with an elite work ethic, elite character, an elite person,” Saleh said Thursday. “When you look at his body of work as a rookie, a lot of these rookies when they come in, they come in through the middle of OTAs.”
The Titans now have January through training camp to work with Ward before his second season kicks off. That window allows Saleh and his staff to take the young quarterback back to square one and rebuild his professional habits the right way.
“We’ve got a whole offseason to work with him, take him back to the very, very beginning, both on the field, off the field,” Saleh explained. “The process of what it looks like to not only be a professional with regards to preparation in this body, but as a professional with regards to preparing from a game planning standpoint or a playbook standpoint.”
How Former Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll Can Develop Cam Ward
Saleh’s confidence in the plan stems from his partnership with Brian Daboll, who was hired as offensive coordinator earlier this week. The two spent years as head coaches in the same market—Saleh with the Jets, and Daboll with the Giants.
“Just talking with Dabes over the course of the last few weeks, he’s the perfect man to match up with Cam and to maximize who he is,” Saleh said.
Daboll’s resume speaks for itself. As Buffalo’s offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021, he transformed Josh Allen from a raw, inaccurate rookie into an MVP candidate. Allen threw just 10 touchdowns against 12 interceptions as a rookie.
By 2020, Allen posted 4,544 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, leading the Bills to their first playoff victory in 25 years. Daboll won the 2020 AP Assistant Coach of the Year award for that work.
The track record extends beyond Allen. Daboll served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2017, working with Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa during the Crimson Tide’s national championship season. He’s operated as an offensive coordinator for five different NFL franchises across his 26-year coaching career, and his modified version of the Erhardt-Perkins system fits what Ward does best.
Saleh made clear that Daboll will have complete control over Tennessee’s offense. “There’s full autonomy with regards to game planning and putting together the playbook and the scheme that’s best for this group of players,” Saleh said, drawing a parallel to how Kyle Shanahan handled him as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator.
More to come regarding the Titans and their new head coach on Heavy.
Justin Carlucci brings 13+ years of journalism experience to Heavy. A veteran of multiple industry-leading companies, he has hosted SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio shows and contributed to the New York Post, combining traditional sports and news reporting with expertise in sports betting and fantasy sports. More about Justin Carlucci
More Heavy on Titans
Loading more stories