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The Tennessee Titans hired general manager Mike Borgonzi’s brother, Dave Borgonzi, as linebackers coach.
The Tennessee Titans keep adding familiar last names to the payroll this offseason, and the general manager went out of his way to make sure the latest hire didn’t come from him.
The Titans and head coach Robert Saleh hired former Dallas Cowboys linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi to fill the same role in Tennessee, per Paul Kuharsky. Dave is the brother of Titans’ general manager Mike Borgonzi, who removed himself entirely from the hiring process, according to Kuharsky. Dave emerged from a pool of eight candidates to land the job.
Robert Saleh is hiring former Cowboys LB coach Dave Borgonzi as #Titans linebackers coach.
He was one of eight candidates. I’m told Mike Borgonzi removed himself from the process.
The move completed Saleh’s coaching staff for 2026, which features 14 new hires and eight holdovers from Brian Callahan’s tenure. Brian Daboll and Gus Bradley anchor the group as offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively.
Tennessee Titans Hire Former Dallas Cowboys Coach Dave Borgonzi
Dave Borgonzi has been grinding through the NFL coaching ranks since 2011, when he joined the Dallas Cowboys as an assistant coach. He spent three seasons with Dallas before moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a defensive quality control coach from 2014 through 2017.
His first shot at coaching a position group came with the Indianapolis Colts, where he led the linebackers room from 2018 through 2021. The Colts reached the playoffs twice during that stretch, going 10-6 in 2018 and 11-5 in 2020. He then spent three seasons as the Chicago Bears‘ linebackers coach from 2022 to 2024 before returning to Dallas for the 2025 campaign, where the Cowboys finished 7-9-1.
Both Borgonzi brothers grew up in Everett, Massachusetts. Mike played fullback at Brown University before spending 16 years climbing through the Kansas City Chiefs‘ front office, ultimately serving as assistant general manager during a stretch that included three Super Bowl championships. He was named Tennessee’s general manager last January.
Dave carved his own path on the coaching side, building through quality control work before landing the Colts’ linebackers job that put him on the map.
Saleh’s Staff Has a Pattern
Dave Borgonzi was not the only hire this offseason that raised eyebrows based on the name alone. Days earlier, Saleh brought in his cousin, Ahmed Saleh, as a defensive quality control coach, as Kuharsky also reported. Ahmed had been coaching linebackers and special teams at Wayne State.
The optics of a GM’s brother joining the staff could invite scrutiny under any circumstances. Mike Borgonzi stepping aside from the process — and Dave still beating out seven other candidates under Saleh’s evaluation — adds a layer of accountability that the organization clearly wanted on the record.
Tennessee’s new staff now inherits a franchise mired in its worst sustained stretch since adopting the Titans name. The club went 3-14 in 2025 for the second consecutive year, allowing 28.1 points per game. Four straight losing seasons produced an aggregate 19-49 record from 2022 through 2025.
With Bradley scheming the defense and Dave Borgonzi coaching the linebackers, Saleh’s staff carries proven experience at every level. Whether that translates depends on the roster the other Borgonzi brother builds around second-year quarterback Cam Ward this offseason.
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
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