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The Tennessee Titans are the next team off the head coaching search board, and they’re leaving with someone with experience in that department in the NFL.
Robert Saleh, the star defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, is working to finalize a deal with the Titans to make him their next coach, according to multiple reports.
Saleh couldn’t turn things around with the New York Jets in his 56 games with the franchise from 2021-24, but the Titans are ready to give him another chance to shape a small roster focused on the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Cam Ward.
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San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh talks with linebacker Fred Warner (54) during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sept. 7, 2025. (Photos by Joe Nicholson/Imagn)
Saleh marks the fourth head coaching hire this NFL cycle. And three previous hires – John Harbaugh (New York Giants), Kevin Stefanski (Atlanta Falcons) and Jeff Hafley (Miami Dolphins) – were all in the Titans’ interview process before being taken elsewhere.
The Titans announced that Saleh and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy had in-person interviews Monday, and it’s clear now that the 49ers coach is saying all the right things to convince ownership that he’s the best hire.
Tennessee couldn’t wait any longer, and they took a shot at Saleh, a defensive whiz with a man-leader personality that shines through with his extensive coaching experience around the league.
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Saleh first entered the head coaching conversation when he got his shot as a defensive coordinator under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in 2017. The 49ers improved to a great team in the 2019 campaign, where Saleh’s defense played a key role in the trip to the Super Bowl. They would end up losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
After a 6-10 season in San Fran the following year, the Jets made Saleh their next coach, where his motto, “All Gas, No Brakes” became a sticking point for everyone at Florham Park.
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh is shown at MetLife Stadium, Sunday December 24, 2023. (Kevin R. Wexler / USA TODAY NETWORK)
But, while the Jets’ defense has been one of the best units in the sport under Saleh’s tutelage, they were unable to break last season’s drought.
The Jets’ best record under Saleh was 7-10, which came in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023. Then just five games into 2024, when the Jets went 2-3, owner Woody Johnson made the call to fire Saleh and promote defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as interim coach.
Shanahan came to call upon Saleh to reclaim his role in the Bay Area, and was dealt a tough hand with key players Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, among others, missing the season due to injury.
However, the Young 49ers defense was coached by Saleh and the rest of the staff to produce a unit that started in the second half. The 49ers finished 13th in points allowed per game (21.8), indicating that they are a team on the rise as they head into the playoffs.
New York Jets coach Robert Saleh reacts against the Minnesota Vikings in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Photos by Kirby Lee-Imagn)
Their best win came in the Wild Card Round, going to Philadelphia and taking down the reigning Super Bowl-champion Eagles to advance. Unfortunately, the Seattle Seahawks were too much for the 49ers, blasting them 41-6 this past Saturday to end their season.
Just two days later, Saleh moves to “Music City,” where he faces the same situation he saw in New York – a group that wants to change things soon.
Tennessee went 3-14 over the past two seasons. But they have the No. 4 pick in this year’s NFL Draft and a total of nine picks in April.
Also, the Titans have a whopping $93.5 million in cap space to use in free agency, where GM Mike Borgonzi could be aggressive in bolstering Saleh’s roster to compete in what is a thriving AFC South conference.
This is Saleh’s third stint in the AFC South, previously coaching the Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. He was with the Jags from 2014-16 as a linebackers coach before joining Shanahan in San Francisco.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the field before the NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium on September 21, 2025 in Santa Clara, California. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
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As for the NFL head coach search, another team was added on Monday, with the surprise firing of Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott.
With four spots filled, six remain for the Bills, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Arizona Cardinals.
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