NFL news: Titans nearing deal to make Robert Saleh head coach
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The Tennessee Titans are the next team on the head coach search board, and they will go with someone who has experience in that department in the NFL.
According to multiple reports, San Francisco 49ers star defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is trying to reach a deal with the Titans to make him their next head coach.
Saleh hasn’t been able to turn things around in 56 career games with the New York Jets from 2021-24, but the Titans are ready to give him another shot at building a young roster centered around 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick quarterback Cam Ward.
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San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh talks to linebacker Fred Warner (54) during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sept. 7, 2025. (Joe Nicholson/Imagn Images)
Saleh becomes the fourth head coach hired in this crazy NFL cycle. And the previous three hires — John Harbaugh (New York Giants), Kevin Stefanski (Atlanta Falcons) and Jeff Hafley (Miami Dolphins) — were on the Titans’ interview schedule before being sent elsewhere.
The Titans announced that Saleh and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy had face-to-face meetings on Monday, and it’s clear the 49ers coach is saying everything right to make the team believe he’s the best hire.
Tennessee couldn’t wait any longer, and they pulled the trigger on Saleh, a man-leading defensive genius who stands out with his vast experience as a coach in the league.
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Saleh began joining the head coach conversation in 2017 when he got his chance as defensive coordinator under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers turned into a great team during the 2019 season, with Saleh’s defense playing a vital role in their trip to the Super Bowl. They would eventually lose to the Kansas City Chiefs.
After a 6-10 season in San Fran the following year, the Jets made Saleh their next head coach, and his “All Gas, No Brakes” slogan became a sticking point for everyone in Florham Park.
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh is shown at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023. (Kevin R. Wexler / USA TODAY NETWORK)
But while the Jets’ defense became one of the best units in the sport under Saleh’s tutelage, they were never able to break their postseason drought.
The Jets’ best record under Saleh was 7-10, and that occurred in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023. Then, after just five games in 2024, in which the Jets went 2-3, team owner Woody Johnson made the call to fire Saleh and appoint defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as interim head coach.
Shanahan called for Saleh to reclaim his role in the Bay Area, and he was given a tough ride as Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, among others, were lost for the season due to injury.
But the young 49ers defense was coached by Saleh and the rest of the team to form an offensive unit in the second half. The 49ers ranked 13th in points allowed per game (21.8) and proved to be an emerging group heading into the playoffs.
New York Jets coach Robert Saleh reacted to the Minnesota Vikings in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
Their best win came in the Wild Card Round, when they went to Philadelphia and beat the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. Unfortunately, the Seattle Seahawks were too much for the 49ers and ended the season by defeating them 41-6 this past Saturday.
Just two days later, Saleh moves to the “Music City” where he faces a similar situation he faced in New York; A team is desperate to turn things around as soon as possible.
Tennessee went 3-14 in each of the last two seasons. However, they have the 4th overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft and have nine total selections in April.
Titans also have great power. $93.5 million in cap space Spending it in free agency, where GM Mike Borgonzi can be aggressive in strengthening Saleh’s roster for competition in the burgeoning AFC South conference.
This is Saleh’s third job in the AFC South after coaching the Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars in the past. Before joining Shanahan in San Francisco, he was with the Jags from 2014-16 as the team’s linebackers coach.
San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh stands on the field before an 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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When it comes to the NFL head coach search, another team was added on Monday with the surprising firing of Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott.
After four spots were filled, the Bills, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals were left with six.
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