Robert Saleh is preparing for his debut as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, marking his second opportunity to lead an NFL team after being dismissed by the New York Jets five games into the 2024 season. Saleh, 47, acknowledges the upcoming Week 1 matchup against his former team on September 13, but emphasizes he holds no grudges toward the Jets organization.

“I don’t hold grudges,” Saleh said during a recent interview in Nashville. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity I had. I have no ill will toward the Jets.” While most personnel on the Jets’ football side have changed since his departure, Saleh noted that Jets owner Woody Johnson remains. Johnson was the one who fired Saleh shortly after a loss in London in October 2024. Saleh downplayed the personal significance of Johnson’s presence, stating, “I’m not playing him. He’s not out on the field.”

Following his departure from the Jets, Saleh spent time with the Green Bay Packers before returning to San Francisco to serve as defensive coordinator under Kyle Shanahan in 2025. Reflecting on these experiences, Saleh said he has made adjustments to his coaching approach. Unlike his previous tenure, he is now calling the defense himself, a responsibility he did not hold in New York.

“It’s not as overwhelming, not even close to overwhelming,” Saleh said of his current role. “When you first get there, there are so many things you didn’t prepare for… Now, having gone through it, having reflected, and having seen how Kyle operates, decisions are made quicker because of recall.”

Saleh’s staff includes several veteran coaches who have held head coaching positions, such as offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, formerly head coach of the New York Giants, and defensive assistant Gus Bradley, the ex-head coach of the Jaguars. Saleh credits this experienced staff for providing robust support, a contrast to his previous tenure.

The Titans’ roster is notably young, with a high number of players having three or fewer years of NFL experience. Saleh expressed optimism about developing this group, which combines youthful talent with relatively young veterans like All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who was recently disciplined and removed from practice for throwing a punch. Saleh’s handling of discipline reflects a more assertive approach than some critics observed during his time in New York.

Several players familiar with Saleh’s system have joined the Titans, including John Franklin-Myers, Jermaine Johnson, Solomon Thomas, Tony Adams, and Jacob Martin—all former Jets under Saleh. Franklin-Myers, who signed a three-year, $63 million contract with Tennessee, said that while Saleh has evolved as a coach, the core of his approach remains effective. “I can’t say that what we were doing was a bad thing,” Franklin-Myers stated. “I would say the result wasn’t there. You can blame it on a number of things. But he’s learned from it.”

A key challenge for Saleh and Daboll will be the development of second-year quarterback Cam Ward, who represents a potential upgrade at the position that plagued Saleh’s Jets teams—with Zach Wilson’s struggles and Aaron Rodgers’ early injury notably limiting their success.

Despite the abrupt end to his time in New York, Saleh expressed appreciation for the experience and maintained ties with many former colleagues. “It was an amazing learning experience,” he said. “Those are connections I feel like we’ve made and that I’ll have forever… I’m more grateful for the opportunity than I am hateful.”

As training camp progresses in Nashville, Saleh appears focused on applying lessons learned, with the aim of transforming the Titans into a competitive team under his renewed leadership.