A new era begins in Tennessee as Robert Saleh takes the helm. Find out where he ranks among the league's freshest head coaching talent.
The Tennessee Titans have had two different head coaches since firing Mike Vrabel after the 2023 season.
Brian Callahan didn't make it through two full seasons before he was fired, being let go in Week 6 after losing to the Las Vegas Raiders.
It's a new era in the Music City, as the Titans are going with former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. He'll get to work with the promising young talents Tennessee has on its roster, like Cam Ward, Gunnar Helm, Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor, and many others.
Plus, the team made some major moves, signing free agents Wan'Dale Robinson, John Franklin-Myers, Alontae Taylor, and Cor'Dale Flott, among others.
It'll be interesting to see how Ward develops under Saleh.
Ward is an exciting young player. He has very good arm talent and continued to improve throughout his rookie season. He threw for 1,409 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception from Weeks 10-18.
Many other NFL teams will have new head coaches in 2026. The Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders are among those teams.
First Things First's Danny Parkins ranked all the new head coaches he believed would have the most success. For Saleh, he ranked him at No. 8.
"Robert Saleh, Brian Daboll, they know what they're doing," Parkins said. "I love the John Franklin-Myers addition with Jeffery Simmons on the defensive line. They could be a real strength for them. We'll see what they do with the fourth-overall pick. A division where you can ultimately make some headway. They only play the AFC North and the NFC East this year. Not a terribly difficult schedule on paper for the Titans."
The Titans are playing the AFC North and NFC East in 2026.
In the AFC North, there will be two new head coaches. The only team to finish with a winning record last season was the Steelers, and they'll have a new man in charge, with Mike McCarthy returning to the head coaching ranks.
The Ravens fired John Harbaugh and will be led by former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
The NFC East was in a similar boat in 2025. The Philadelphia Eagles were the only team in the division to have a winning record. The Giants hired Harbaugh in the offseason after his stint with the Ravens came to an end.
The schedule for Saleh and the Titans in year one is definitely favorable, but it'll depend on how Ward develops in year two and whether the free-agent acquisitions the team made pan out.
Then, there's how the Titans handle the 2026 NFL Draft. Improving after a 3-14 season could be difficult, but the odds are in the Titans' favor.