NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) \u2014 Robert Saleh believes the Tennessee Titans were the best fit for him among the 10 teams looking for a coach this cycle.<\/p>\n
And Saleh, who’s enjoyed plenty of success as a defensive coordinator but failed in his first stint as an NFL head coach, said Thursday he’s learned from his experiences leading the New York Jets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no handbook to a first time at anything you do, you know? … The proper question would be, what didn\u2019t I learn?\u201d Saleh said as he was introduced as the 20th head coach in franchise history<\/a>. \u201cI can sit here and talk to you for the next four hours about all those different things. But I can assure you that there was tremendous growth, through the opportunities that I had with the Jets and, through that growth, I think I\u2019m more prepared now than I\u2019ve ever been.\u201d<\/p>\n Late in the season, All-Pro<\/a> defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said Tennessee needed to find a leader who could change the culture of the organization and hold players accountable. The Titans believe they’ve found that man.<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately what we wanted was a leader for this football team that could build a winning culture and connect the entire building,\u201d general manager Mike Borgonzi said. \u201cWe were looking for a leader with high character, integrity and humility, a leader with a high football IQ and great teaching skills.\u201d<\/p>\n Saleh earned plenty of respect around the league during his two stints as defensive coordinator<\/a> with the 49ers. His time in San Francisco was sandwiched around four years with the Jets in which Saleh went 20-36 before he was fired<\/a> five games into the 2024 season.<\/p>\n The Titans have finished 3-14 in each of the past two seasons. They’re banking that Saleh can turn around a franchise that last had a winning season in 2021 and has fired a coach or general manager in four consecutive seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, the second you walk into this building, there\u2019s going to be a standard,\u201d Saleh said. \u201cI\u2019ll say it a million times that the objective of life is to go to bed better than when you woke up. And if you don\u2019t have that intent, if you don\u2019t have that mindset, you\u2019re doing yourself a disservice. Or doing your teammates a disservice.\u201d<\/p>\n More than a dozen Titans players were on hand for the news conference, including Simmons and Tennessee’s quarterback, 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward<\/a>.<\/p>\n