The Tennessee Titans have landed on an interesting new head coach: former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The DC also coached the New York Jets for a few seasons, but that experiment did not work, and he ended up back as a coordinator again.
The Titans desperately needed to nail this hire so they could get the most out of number one overall pick Cam Ward. He struggled mightily, but the flashes were there. A good coach could do it, but now, the Titans will probably need an A+ offensive coordinator to fix the issue since they went with a defensive head coach.
Tennessee Titans pick Robert Saleh to be new coach
GM Mike Borgonzi had said before hiring anyone that they wanted a coach, whether offensive or defensive, who could bring everyone with the Tennessee Titans together. “That person ultimately has to connect everybody in the building,” Borgonzi had said via ESPN. “You have to have that balance of being demanding, connecting people in the building and just bringing people together.”
That person is apparently Robert Saleh. He went 20-36 as the coach of the New York Jets, failing to get going even after the Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers. The QB tore his Achilles tendon at the beginning of one year, and Saleh was fired midway through the next.
He bookended that by two brilliant outings with the 49ers. He led them to the Super Bowl with a dominant defense, though they lost to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. His 2025 work might have been his most impressive, though.
The 49ers finished 20th in total yards per game. They were 11th against the run, though, and 13th in points per game. Those aren’t inspiring numbers, but when you look at the injuries Saleh’s unit dealt with, it’s unfathomable that they won 12 games and a playoff game over the reigning champs.
They lost the following players:
- Fred Warner
- Nick Bosa
- Tatum Bethune
- Nick Martin
- Mykel Williams
- Jakob Robinson
Those are substantial injuries. The 49ers still found some success because of Saleh, so it’s no surprise he was a head coach candidate this cycle.
Why this is a big risk for the Tennessee Titans
Robert Saleh may or may not be head coach material. His first stint with the Jets didn’t prove that one way or the other. They are a dysfunctional organization, and the defense was terrific under his tutelage. The problem is, the Titans needed an offensive mind.
Young QBs tend to have the most success with offensive minds who can get the most out of them. Look at Bryce Young, Caleb Williams, Jordan Love, Brock Purdy, Bo Nix, Trevor Lawrence, and Tyler Shough for examples. They have done best with offensive coaches.
There are exceptions, like Drake Maye or C.J. Stroud (perhaps only in his rookie season). Still, generally speaking, offensive minds are better. With Stroud, the Houston Texans have a historic defense led by DeMeco Ryans, so it makes his job easier. Maye has Mike Vrabel, who’s as much a culture, locker room coach as he is a defensive mind.
The Titans are taking a huge risk that Saleh is a culture guy as well. Their defense is one thing, but the future of Cam Ward and his development is the biggest thing. Fortunately, they can still hire a Mike McDaniel or Davis Webb to hopefully get the most out of Ward from the coordinator spot.
Otherwise, Ward will end up one of the NFL’s what-ifs. What if he’d just had a good offensive coach? How good could he have been if the Tennessee Titans had really invested in his success? Hopefully, we don’t have to ask those questions.
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