Would a Robert Saleh-Mike McDaniel pairing on Titans be feasible?

The Tennessee Titans are one of two NFL franchises with a head coach opening so far.

It's likely going to be another exciting coaching carousel this offseason. For the Titans, it'll be important that they hit on their next head coach. They have a young quarterback in Cam Ward and will likely have a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Finding not only the right guy in terms of X's and O's, but one who can shift the culture will be key. 

SI's Albert Breer proposed potentially pairing 49ers DC Robert Saleh as the next Titans head coach with someone like embattled Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator. 

"Douglas, I think Saleh is at least going to elicit interest, and may  well land a job," Breer wrote. "He’ll interview well, he’s very close with a lot of the Shanahan-McVay tree offensive coaches (so finding a good OC won’t be a  chore), and he’ll be able to energize a franchise that’s fallen on hard  times. I could see the Titans or the Giants taking a long look at him, paired potentially with a Mike McDaniel (if  he doesn’t make it in Miami) or Mike LaFleur to run the offense."

Why Robert Saleh-Mike McDaniel pairing is a "dream" scenario for Titans

With Tennessee's struggles this season, it's clear that there needs to be a change not only with on-field issues but also in the culture. With Saleh, the Titans would be getting a head coach who not only knows the game defensively but also has experience as a head coach.

Tennessee has key pieces on defense to build around, such as Pro Bowl lineman Jeffery Simmons, as well as T'Vondre Sweat and Sebastian Joseph-Day. With Saleh handling the defensive side, getting someone like McDaniel makes sense on offense. McDaniel has years of experience working on the offensive side of the football, including with Saleh in San Francisco. 

During his tenure as Jets HC, Saleh's defense finished second in the NFL in yards allowed per game. It finished in the top four in yards allowed per game in 2022 and 2023. 

In his return to San Francisco this season, the defense has been stellar against the run so far. It currently ranks eighth (while dealing with key injuries) compared to 29th a year ago.

The results may not show it this season, but McDaniel has been a part of successful offenses in the past. Hiring him to work with Ward, who will be going into his second season in 2026, feels like a win for Tennessee. The Dolphins currently rank in the top 10 offensively in yards per game (eighth), points per game (10th), passing yards per game (eighth) and scoring efficiency (ninth). 

Since McDaniel took over in 2022, the Dolphins offense has ranked worse than 11th one time in points per game, which was in 2024 with QB Tua Tagovailoa missing most of the season. In 2025, it currently ranks 10th. McDaniel's strength is working with the offense overall, having experience with QBs, RBs, WRs and TEs.

How realistic is this pairing for Titans?

While it seems like a dream scenario for the Titans, there is a long way to go before this can be a realistic scenario.

Saleh should get looks on the coaching cycle and has done a good job with San Francisco's defense. However, it's no guarantee he gets a head-coaching job this offseason with numerous candidates in the mix. For McDaniel, while there have been rumors of the Dolphins potentially moving on from him, nothing is official. Time will tell if this scenario comes to fruition.