The Tennessee Titans will unveil their complete 2026 NFL schedule on Thursday evening. New head coach Robert Saleh is anxious to begin his tenure in Nashville. Well, it appears the NFL has gifted him a dreamlike revenge opportunity right out the gate.
The Titans will host the New York Jets in Week 1 at Nissan Stadium, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Saleh was the head coach of the Jets for three and a half seasons. He's surely looking forward to hosting his former employee in his Titans debut.
Saleh's exit from the Jets arrived with difficult circumstances. He returned to being the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers for one campaign before getting an opportunity to lead the Titans. Make no mistake, Saleh will be circling that appetizing Week 1 date with the Jets.
Report: Robert Saleh to make his Tennessee Titans debut in revenge-game opportunity versus New York Jets in Week 1
Saleh was named head coach of the Jets in 2021, crawling to a 4-13 record in his debut. After improving to 7-10 in 2022, the Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers ahead of 2023, creating Super Bowl-like expectations for themselves. It crashed and burned, with Rodgers suffering a season-ending injury a handful of reps into his debut.
Despite that, Saleh still got the Jets to 7-10. Returning in 2024 with Rodgers, Saleh was dismissed after a disappointing 2-3 start. The Jets didn't get better without Saleh, finishing 5-12 despite having a healthy Rodgers at quarterback.
The Jets regressed this past campaign, their first full season without Saleh since 2020. The Jets finished tied for the NFL-worse record at 3-14. Saleh surely felt vindicated while helping lead the 49ers to the playoffs.
That time away from the Jets convinced the Titans Saleh was ready for another chance. General manager Mike Borgonzi totally reshaped the defense in Saleh's vision this offseason, acquiring a number of players he previously coached in New York and San Francisco. The list of Week 1 reunions doesn't just include the head coach, but new Titans players like John Franklin-Myers and Jermaine Johnson II, as well.
The Titans also believe having Cam Ward at quarterback will help Saleh steady the ship. From the Rodgers injury to first-round bust Zach Wilson, Saleh never had stability at quarterback in East Rutherford. Saleh and the Titans have a golden opportunity to prove they're better off than the Jets when they host them in Week 1.
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