Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a>This Is His Second Head Coaching Opportunity<\/p>\nSaleh previously served as head coach of the New York Jets from 2021\u20132024, where his teams compiled a 20-36 record before he was let go early in 2024. The Jets haven’t seen the playoffs since Rex Ryan was fired, and it’s been 10 years since they’ve had a winning season. The head coach isn’t the problem.<\/p>\n
Titans Expect Him to Call Defensive Plays<\/p>\n
Reports indicate that Saleh plans to handle defensive play-calling himself. He did not do this consistently as a head coach in New York, which underscores his comfort and strength on that side of the ball. With players like Jeffery Simmons, T’Vondre Sweat, and Cedric Gray, talent isn’t the problem in Tennessee. Saleh is known for creating a defensive scheme that fits the players he has.<\/p>\n
Proven Track Record as a 49ers Defensive Architect<\/p>\n
During his first stint with the 49ers (2017\u20132020), Saleh\u2019s defense helped the team reach Super Bowl LIV and consistently rank among the league\u2019s best. That’s because he focuses on putting players in the best position to be successful. He notes their strengths and weaknesses and utilizes them functionally and effectively to gain the most success.<\/p>\n
Return to Head Coaching Comes After Rebuilding Reputation<\/p>\n
After being dismissed by the Jets, Saleh returned to the 49ers. They posted solid defensive results in 2025, positioning Saleh as a strong candidate for head coaching openings this cycle. The fact that the 49ers welcomed him back shows the type of person he is and what kind of character he has.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll Lead a Team with Young Talent<\/p>\n
Tennessee enters 2026 with exciting young pieces on offense, including quarterback Cam Ward, and significant salary cap flexibility, giving Saleh tools to shape the roster. The Titans will work during free agency and the draft to pin down the final pieces they’re looking for. With Saleh’s longevity in the NFL and track record, he has the potential to give this team the boost it needs to win games.<\/p>\n
Saleh Has Won at the Highest Level<\/p>\n
He has appeared in multiple Super Bowls as an assistant coach, including winning Super Bowl XLVIII with the Seattle Seahawks early in his career. He went to the Super Bowl with the 49ers, which they lost in 2019, and in 2025, he helped the team reach the postseason.<\/p>\n
He Brings a Unique Personal Legacy<\/p>\n
Saleh is of Lebanese descent and became the first Muslim head coach in NFL history when he was hired by the Jets. He is known for his energetic presence and emphasis on team culture. He is a defensive leader who is smart, knows how to connect with the players, and has a lot of good tools to work with in Nashville, where he will continue to build his legacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jan. 20, 2026, 1:35 p.m. ET The Tennessee Titans hired their next head coach on Tuesday. In the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":693025,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2061],"tags":[95878,7,6,96009,96010,95882,95896,95888,95895,95906,95975,96008,95884,95883,95889,526,394,2411,527,95881],"class_list":{"0":"post-693024","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tennessee-titans","8":"tag-accessfree","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-nfl","11":"tag-sstssportsnfltitans","12":"tag-sstsntitans","13":"tag-tagamerican-football","14":"tag-tagnational-sports","15":"tag-tagnfl","16":"tag-tagnfl-hub","17":"tag-tagoverall-positive","18":"tag-tagrobert-saleh","19":"tag-tagsmg-listicle","20":"tag-tagsports-coaching-training","21":"tag-tagsports-news","22":"tag-tagtennessee-titans","23":"tag-tennessee","24":"tag-tennessee-titans","25":"tag-tennesseetitans","26":"tag-titans","27":"tag-typestory"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115931570973464574","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=693024"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693024\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/693025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=693024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=693024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=693024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}