Titans Make Official Head Coach Announcement

Saleh brings a defensive background and head coaching experience during his time with the New York Jets at the beginning of the decade.

He is also the 22nd head coach in Titans/Oilers history and the eighth since the move to Tennessee, while succeeding both former head coach Brian Callahan and interim Mike McCoy from last season.

What the Titans Get in Saleh

Saleh had success during his time with the 49ers as their defensive coordinator. His first stint was for four seasons, 2017-20, and he just completed the first season of his second stint.

The 49ers were excellent under Saleh in his first stint, especially in their run to the Super Bowl in 2019. They allowed the least passing yards (169.2) and the second least yards (281.8) per game, while also ranking tied for fifth in sacks (48) and sixth in takeaways (27) in the NFL.

Saleh had great talent, but also got the best out of them, featuring defensive end Nick Bosa, linebacker Fred Warner, cornerback Richard Sherman and DT DeForest Buckner.

The 49ers didn't put up the greatest numbers on defense this year, but dealt with a long injury list, including both Warner and Bosa, who suffered season-ending injuries. They still made the postseason and beat the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in the NFC Wild Card Round.

Saleh was the head coach of the New York Jets for four seasons from 2021-24, but didn't have the success he wanted, going 20-36 and getting fired five games into the 2024 season with a 2-3 record.

He still had success on defense, ranking fourth in total yards allowed in 2022 (311.1) and third in 2023 (292.3). The Jets also allowed the least passing yards allowed per game (178.9), opponent yards allowed per play (4.7), total yards per game (301.7) and sixth in rushing yards allowed per play (4.1) during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Both cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams earned NFL First Team All-Pro honors, while linebacker Jermaine Johnson II earned a Pro Bowl nod.

Saleh couldn't get an efficient offense during his time in New York, even with trading for quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in April 2023.

Rodgers would suffer a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2023 season and then played relatively poorly throughout 2024.

The Jets are also a franchise that hasn't made the postseason since 2010, the longest absence of any NFL team, which shows bigger problems than Saleh.

How Saleh Should Improve the Titans

The Titans struggled on defense in 2025, as they ranked 25th in points (26.5),19th in yards (345.1) and 21st in passing yards allowed per game.

Tennessee also made the fourth-least takeaways (14) this past season and tied for the third least interceptions (eight).

Saleh has experience in making strong defenses, even without its best players, crucial for a rebuilding team. He'll also get All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons and be able to get the most of him the next two seasons.

Quarterback Cam Ward heads into his second season with the Titans in 2026 and now Saleh gets a quarterback he can work with and build into a franchise leader for the future.

Saleh will need time to make this Tennessee squad a competitive one, but the hiring shows a commitment to building a better defense in Nashville.