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During his introductory Tennessee Titans news conference last week, new Titans head coach Robert Saleh vowed that he is “more prepared” to succeed in the job after he failed to record a single winning season as head coach of the New York Jets from 2021 through the first five weeks of the 2024 campaign.Â
Most recently, Saleh served as the San Francisco 49ers’Â defensive coordinator this season. For a piece published on Monday, Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons touched upon his first conversation with Saleh after the hiring became official.Â
What Robert Saleh promised Jeffery Simmons about the future of the Titans
Per Jim Wyatt of the Titans’ website, Saleh promised Simmons that “we’re going to talk a little s—” next season.Â
“I (told) him: That’s my style of play,” Simmons explained. “Everything Coach Saleh has said, that’s how I like to play the game. I like to play fast and violent, and everybody knows I am probably one of the biggest smack-talkers in the league, not only on Sundays, but I talk smack at practice. So, me and coach are going to get along just fine. I know the way he wants his guys to play, and that is my style of football.”
Last summer, Simmons exchanged trash talk with then-rookie quarterback Cam Ward during training-camp practices. Ward is now comfortably atop the depth chart as he works to recover from an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder that doesn’t seem to be much of a concern regarding his offseason development.Â
“I told him: I’m ready to get to work with him, and I’m ready to learn and figure out what’s his philosophy,” Simmons added about his talk with Saleh. “We’ve chopped it up a little bit, but I am excited to figure out his defense. You hear guys talking about it, and you watch tape and see how excited his defense it, and you see the energy that he brings on the sideline. I am looking forward to that and ready to get to work for him.”
Robert Saleh can improve Titans in this way
ESPN stats show that the 49ers finished the regular season ranked 13th in the league with an average of 21.8 points allowed per game. That’s quite impressive considering San Francisco star pass-rusher Nick Bosa suffered a season-ending ACL tear in September before linebacker Fred Warner went down
with a dislocated and broken ankle in Week 6.
With Saleh commanding their defense, the 49ers held the Philadelphia Eagles to just six second-half points in a wild-card playoff victory last month. Saleh didn’t win much of note with the Jets, but he’s no stranger to coaching in big games.
Meanwhile, the Titans haven’t participated in a postseason contest since January 2022.Â
“We have a young football team, and I feel like we still have to figure things out,” Simmons said. “And I think with Saleh coming in, with his style of coaching, I think it will be great for us, especially having such a young football team. I think the culture change will be good for us.”
