Robert Saleh Not Taking Week 1 Game vs. Jets Personally

While the Jets and Titans may be objectively terrible, there's a little bit of drama brewing as Titans head coach Robert Saleh faces his former team.

by Tzvi Machlin

Sep 3, 2026

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 19: Head coach Robert Saleh of the New York Jets celebrates with Aaron Rodgers #8 after a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the second quarter in the game at MetLife Stadium on September 19, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Al Bello/Getty Images

The Week 1 matchup between the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans will pit two teams that had a combined six wins in 2025 against each other. But while both teams may be objectively terrible, there’s a little bit of drama brewing as Titans head coach Robert Saleh faces his former team.

Saleh coached the Jets from 2021 to the middle of 2024, when he was fired amid a 2-3 start and ended his tenure without ever winning more than seven games in a season. His overall record was 20-36.

But as that reunion approaches, Saleh doesn’t intend on viewing the matchup as any sort of grudge match against his former employer. If anything, he remains grateful to the Jets for giving him his first head coaching opportunity.

“New York is still a special place,” Saleh said told the media this week. “Gave me my first opportunity as a head coach. Our desire to win Week 1 and beat the Jets is because it’s Week 1 and nothing more. I am forever grateful for all the opportunity that they gave. I don’t hold grudges.”

Saleh and the Jets

Saleh certainly enjoyed his time in New York enough to recruit several of his former players to his Titans side. He brought over former first-round pick and Pro Bowler Jermaine Johnson along with pass rusher John Franklin-Myers, both of whom starred for him in New York.

Whether or not Johnson and Franklin-Myers share Saleh’s continued fondness for the Jets remains to be seen.

Jan 29, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi and Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh holds up the Titans jersey during the press conference at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Saleh was hired by the Jets in 2021 following four standout years as the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. By 2020 he was the hottest coaching candidate in the NFL and had interviews with every prospective team. He ultimately joined the Jets, but couldn’t overcome the team’s long-suffering quarterback conundrum. Even with Aaron Rodgers at his side, he couldn’t make it work.

After his firing, Saleh returned to the 49ers and got them back to the top as if he’d never left. He took the 49ers all the way to the playoffs after improving their defense from 29th in 2024 to 13th in 2025.

We’ll see if his second chance at being a head coach proves to be the lucky one.