NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Robert Saleh said Thursday that he will call the defensive plays for the Tennessee Titans, something he didn’t do in his first go-round as head coach of the New York Jets from 2021 to 2024.
Saleh said not calling plays for the Jets is something he regrets because it didn’t allow him to feel the flow of the game and connect to the players as much as he wanted. New York was 20-36 in his time there.
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“Calling plays, for me, it’s not necessarily about control, but it’s about connecting with the players,” Saleh said at his introductory news conference. “When you are calling plays, you feel the strain that you’re putting on them with each call. You’re feeling the connection and what each one is going through. To call plays and maintain that connection, that feel for what the players are going through, is very important for my seat. It’s just one of the many things that’ll change throughout my time.”
Finding a way to maximize quarterback Cam Ward, last year’s No. 1 pick, will be one of Saleh’s most critical tasks. That’s why the defensive-minded coach hired former New York Giants coach Brian Daboll to be his offensive coordinator. Daboll has a history of working with successful quarterbacks such as Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Josh Allen and most recently Jaxson Dart.
Saleh called Daboll the “perfect man to match up with Ward” and emphasized how Daboll’s scheme always will find run/pass conflicts in opposing defenses, then “attack the s— out of it.”
Saleh didn’t have success with the Jets partly due to the team’s inability to develop Zach Wilson into a franchise quarterback after New York selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft. In retrospect, Saleh said he felt he didn’t do enough to support Wilson with a proper defense and a proper run game. Saleh referenced Brady’s first year with the New England Patriots as an example of how to bring along a quarterback. Brady had 413 pass attempts in 15 games that season, ending with the first of six Super Bowl-winning seasons.
“He was backed by an elite defense with an unbelievable run game and a system that allowed him to just kind of move the sticks on third down, be great in two-minute, be efficient in the red zone and score points,” Saleh said. “The best way to develop a quarterback is to give him a team that doesn’t make him feel like he has to be Superman. But, I don’t want to put a straitjacket on him either.”
Saleh and Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi will have over $100 million in cap space to spend on free agents next month, along with 10 draft picks, including the No. 4 selection.
Saleh said he just recently talked to Ward for the first time, but Saleh seems to have an early grasp on what it will take for Ward to improve on his rookie season, when he had 3,169 yards passing, 15 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
“For Cam, it’s just helping him understand what’s most important in that moment and helping develop a mindset that he doesn’t have to be the hero,” Saleh said. “It’s OK to rely on your teammates.”
