The Tennessee Titans have completely revamped their coaching staff heading into 2026. They hired Robert Saleh as head coach, Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator, and Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator. To round things out, they also retained John “Bones” Fassel, widely considered one of the best special teams coaches in the league.
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All in all, it’s a great coaching staff with tons of credentials. Saleh did not get everything right in his first stint as a head coach with the New York Jets, but he remains a proven defensive mind who has led elite units, including during his two stints with the 49ers. Much of the same can be said for Daboll, just from an offensive standpoint.
Bradley, meanwhile, was part of the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive staff during the Legion of Boom era. Fassel brings over 20 years of experience and even served briefly as a head coach in 2016. In fact, every member of this group has held a head coaching role at some point, which is why Emmanuel Acho believes the Titans may have one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL.
“The Titans are assembling what I would call a dream staff right now… This staff, to me, is pretty iconic,” Acho said on his podcast, Speakeasy. He then went on to ask, “Is it possible that the Titans are going to be this year’s Patriots?”
It’s an interesting question that not many fans have considered. Even with the recent coaching hires, many may not have fully taken into account just how much the Titans could improve next season. After all, they have finished last in their division three straight years and gone a combined 12-39 over that span.
But still, the Titans could end up surprising some people. With a first overall pick QB, a solid roster, and draft capital to address their gaps, a solid coaching squad, the pieces are there. Acho’s co-host, TJ Houshmandzadeh, believes that outcome is well within reach.
“They for sure have a chance,” TJ said. “Bones Fassel might be the best special teams coach in the league. Attention to detail and special teams will be a strength for the Titans. That’s a fact. Gus Bradley, I’m a fan of his… If Cam Ward [plays like] the first pick, the Tennessee Titans will make the playoffs.”
It’s a bold statement to make before the 2025 season has even come to an end. But it highlights just how important a strong coaching staff can be to a team’s outlook. Before, under Brian Callahan and his staff, not many viewed the Titans as a real threat. Now, that perception is already starting to shift.
Acho wrapped up his thoughts with a bold statement of his own.
“Top to bottom, this is one of the best staffs in the National Football League. This Titans staff is a Top 5 staff at worst. So, if you’ve got a staff like this, and a number one quarterback, you should be able to get to the playoffs,” he stated.
Only time will tell if that will be the case for the Titans. Cam Ward showed flashes of greatness during his rookie season. But he also showed tons of issues that he will need to address going into ‘26.
Most notably, Ward will need to work on his ball security and taking fewer sacks. He also struggled with accuracy while under pressure. He did show late-season improvements, though, giving many fans hope that he could become a great QB one day.
Now heading into ‘26, Ward will have amazing coaching. It gives him the chance to get his career back on track after a forgettable rookie campaign. OC Daboll will have his hands full, but he’s previously shown that he can turn dynamic QBs into great players.
To say that the Titans will be next season’s New England Patriots, though, is a bold take. They should be better than they were. But nobody is expecting them to jump into an elite tier and make a Super Bowl run. It would be cool to see, yet it just doesn’t feel realistic as of now. They need help at wide receiver and could use a litany of defensive improvements before that idea can be tossed around.
