Tennessee Titans Hire Robert Saleh as Next Head Coach

posted on: Feb 4, 2026

By Jake Harris / Arab America Contributing Writer

The Tennessee Titans recently hired 49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh as their next head coach. This comes after the Titans made the difficult decision to fire their former head coach Brian Callahan mid-season following a disastrous start. Some speculate that they pulled the trigger mid-season to avoid hindering the development of their rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Ward was selected with the number one overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

An Unusual Hiring Cycle

In this coaching hiring cycle, there has seldom been such a large amount of attractive job openings across the league. Most years, the job openings are limited to the worst performers of the previous season. In 2025, serial playoff underperformers and underachievers decided to make difficult decisions when it comes to head coach, creating job openings on teams that are already established contenders. The Titans, despite being in competition with very attractive coaching jobs have a very valuable asset: A franchise quarterback. The Titans are a rebuilding team, meaning they are working their roster up to being a contender through accumulating draft picks and young players who have the potential to eventually be stars. 

Robert Saleh in New York and San Francisco

Saleh was fired by the New York Jets in the middle of the 2024 season, following multiple losing seasons and a 2-3 start. Saleh went on to be a defensive coordinator in San Francisco this season. Despite injuries to their two best defenders Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, Saleh had the 49ers defense playing as a competitive unit throughout the season. Saleh’s work in San Francisco and his overall body of work in the NFL led organizations to consider giving him another shot as a head coach. Saleh is just one of many Jets coaches who failed to deliver a winner in the 15 year playoff drought. This indicates to teams that it is at the very least unfair to pin the Jets problems all on Saleh. 

Black Monday is an infamous day in the NFL as it is the day following the final week of the regular season where the most underperforming coaches are usually fired. Since Black Monday Robert Saleh had been requested to interview with a number of teams. He interviewed in Miami, Arizona, and Baltimore before eventually being hired by Tennessee. 

Saleh’s Arab American Heritage

Saleh is the third Arab American head coach in NFL history. He follows Abe Gibron of the Chicago Bears and Rich Kotite of the Philadelphia Eagles. He is the first Muslim head coach in NFL history. Saleh is of Lebanese descent and comes from Dearborn, Michigan. He participated in the NFL’s Heritage Program. The program allows players and coaches to have flags of countries representing their family heritage on game day apparel. Saleh wore a Lebanese flag pin as part of this program. Despite this, the timing of the pin generated some controversy as it occurred simultaneously with Israel’s military campaign accelerating in the country.  

Hiring a new Coaching Staff

Since accepting the job, Saleh has brought in former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll in as Offensive Coordinator. Daboll was initially known as being instrumental in star quarterback Josh Allen’s development in Buffalo when he was offensive coordinator. This success led him to be hired as the New York Giants head coach in 2022. After a successful first season in New York, the Giants failed to follow up on his early success. Daboll was fired mid-season this year. Despite this, Daboll is seen around the league to this day as a “QB whisperer” which is exactly what Tennessee needs if they are going to hire a defensive head coach like Saleh with a young quarterback still in development. 

Saleh has brought in Gus Bradley as his Defensive Coordinator. Bradley has a long history as a defensive coach in the NFL, and worked with Saleh in San Francisco. Saleh and Bradley also worked together on Jacksonville’s defensive staff. 

The Titans have the fourth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. A top priority will be getting offensive help to take the pressure off of Cam Ward. Often when young quarterbacks are left stranded with a lack of offensive help, they tend to struggle and it permanently affects their confidence and development.

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