Robert Saleh - Head Coach, titans Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-09 | Full transcript (primary source).
Robert Saleh, Head Coach of the Titans, addressed the media during a press conference on September 9, 2026, to discuss player health and team dynamics ahead of their upcoming game. The focus included updates on a player in concussion protocol and the importance of maintaining discipline off the field.
Transcript
Saleh: I'll just start off with the whole thing that's said. He's in the concussion protocol, has a chance to clear. So we're going to let him go through that process. We'll know more towards the end of the weekend on his availability. A little frustrating that, and maybe an opportunity to remind the younger members of this team, guys, be careful what you do when you're away from the facility. Yeah. You always try your best to keep the main thing the main thing and try to help educate them. But they're still kids.
Reporter: What was the explanation of what happened?
Saleh: He's obviously apologetic, obviously frustrated with himself. But thankfully, I'm taking half a glass full. He's good. He's healthy. He's got a chance. So it could have been a lot worse.
Reporter: Anybody else we're not going to see today that might be in jeopardy for a weekend?
Saleh: No, I'm pretty sure we've got a full slate.
Reporter: You said this isn't obviously a revenge game of any sorts for you, but for the guys who also have crossover with the Jets, what's your message for them just in terms of playing mentally emotional?
Saleh: Yeah, keep the main thing the main thing. Just put your best foot forward, and whatever happens happens. But sometimes in these moments, you can try to make it bigger than it needs to be. It's a week one football game in the NFL. Every game is no one game is more important than the other. And whatever emotional charge that you may or may not have for the opponent, it doesn't matter. Because you're playing another opponent, and it doesn't matter who they are. It doesn't matter who's on the other side. We're going to win.
Reporter: That being said, how urgent is it for you guys to get up to a high start to win this game and show that it is different around here now with you?
Saleh: 100%. Every game you go into, you're trying to win. I want to make sure we're clear on that. There is no, yes, are we growing? Yes, are we young? But it doesn't matter. We're 100% want to win this football game. And we're going to attack the heck out of it. We're going to attack the heck out of these next three days in preparation, and then we'll see what happens. But yeah, I would speak for all 32 teams. Winning week one and starting fast is always good. Because you never know. You win a couple early, and you start getting momentum. You start getting confidence with a young group, and then who knows where it goes. But at the same time, it's, yeah. Like I said, every game is important. We're trying to win every single one of them.
Reporter: What impresses you when you have watched the Jets as you prepare for this game?
Saleh: Just having some familiarity offensively. They're talented, man. Their offensive line, they've got two really good tackles. Their interior is solid. Obviously, Joe Tippmann being at Garden. And they're just really solid on the offensive line all together. And then it got a lot of respect for their entire backfield between Breece and Braylon, and then Isaiah Davis. And then Garrett Wilson, I think, is one of the better receivers in all the football. They've done a good job drafting at the tight end level. Ruckert's still there. So and Gino can still sling it. When he has time, and he can throw the ball, and he's got weapons to throw to, he can run a very high functioning offense. And I'll fully expect them to be a really, really good offense as the year progresses. And I would not be surprised if this unit finishes in the top half of the league. It's pretty talented. Defensively, they've done a lot to bring in veterans. I know they, I would imagine all off seasons, it's been about taking the ball away after what happened a year ago. And they did a great job bringing in guys who were notorious for taking the ball, whether it was Minka or DeMario Davis. And they've made a concerted effort to make sure they beef up the interior of the defensive line to stop the run game. And they drafted a young kid to get after the passer, so they have some edge rushers that can get after it. And their corners are long and sticky in coverage. So they've done a good job bringing in the players that fit in the vision of Aaron and AG, and fully expecting a complete battle. And then last year, you talked special teams. They were one of the better special teams units in all the football, two really good returners. Mussolini, Macquarie Ball is one of the better special teams guys in all the football. And so it's going to be a challenge in all three phases.
Reporter: What was your evaluation of David Bailey as he was coming out? And what does it look like that they're using him? What kind of role? Is it just go get the quarterback?
Saleh: Yeah, we'll see what it is. Pre-season is pre-season. But for us, we're a little different. They're more of a 3-4 scheme. But at the end of the day, we love this ability. His bent, his get-off, his ability to convert speed to power, he's going to be a really, really good edge rusher in this league. And I wouldn't be surprised if off the get, he's producing at a high level. He's got a chance to be special.
Reporter: What do you feel like your receivers are in terms of how they attack man-to-man, both at the line and in terms of getting separation?
Saleh: The first part of the question? The receivers. Receivers? I'm sorry. Yeah, the receivers. Are receivers. Any time. I mean, you get man-to-man coverage. It's a one-on-one situation. And obviously, there's a lot of film study with regards to what best way to attack from a release standpoint, whether you're speed releasing, whether you've got to work at the line of scrimmage to create separation. There's different tools that you're going to use just to get off the line first and foremost. And then when you do get off the line, how you set up at the top of your routes and how you get out of your breaks. And then obviously, in man coverage, it's going to be sticky. These guys are pretty damn good at man coverage. So you've got to win those contested catch opportunities. So it's a thing that we'll always work on. And this is going to be a theme in every single game. To win in this league, to win football games in this league, you've got to be able to beat man coverage and you've got to win in man coverage. You've got to win in one-on-one situations when the game is on the line and it's not crunching time. The entire stadium knows that you're playing man coverage from a defensive standpoint. And you've got to win.
Reporter: I just keep in mind that the offensive line is taken. CJC, some of the things he's saying, culture is what you allow. No revolution without bloodshed, et cetera. He got to come on and play the way he has. How do you like the mindset that they've started to adapt?
Saleh: I feel like we've got to go prove it. I do love the way they approach training camp. I love the way we went to San Francisco. And I know you can't see it from the naked eye, but when you turn on that tape, I felt like we moved the ball. We moved the line of scrimmage really well up front. I thought we did the same thing with Seattle. I thought we did the same thing with Chicago. In these practices, and then our defensive line had a hard time with our offensive line. So they've done a nice job. And now the regular season is a whole other animal. Everything has gone exactly the way you'd want it to go. And now we just got to go prove it on a week-to-week basis.
Reporter: Some of the guys have mentioned where coaches have pointed out different opportunities, where it's like, yo, you could defend each other a little better. Is that something that you kind of talked to, Carmen Rossello and Isaac Williams and Bowers, or is that something they just kind of took on their own to do?
Saleh: Talking about finish. Finishing, and even just like there was a time, JC, he had mentioned there was a time when Carmona and Taylor had got into it after a play. He finished the block, and they were back in the huddle. And he was getting into it, and he's like, the coach was like, yo, you needed to defend your brother like that. Oh, okay, okay, you're talking about if one of your teammates are, I just think that's natural. I think if you care about the guy next to you, if you enjoy playing with the guy next to you, you're going to defend him like he is your brother. I do think when you watch tape and you see your quarterback on the ground, just take a look at the offensive line to see what their mindset is. I think that's real. I think when your back is on the ground and your offensive line isn't like, I just think when your offensive line's not there to be the big brother, to pick up your teammate, to pick up your little brother, I think is, if he's not there, in my opinion. We'll always go, all organizations go by their O-line and D-line, and the expectation for our O-line, no different than anyone else's, is to lead the charge and protect the team.
Reporter: I think something like Cam has done from the manager of the game standpoint, the last couple of years, it seems like, this team's had a lot of pre-snap penalties and things like that, that put them behind the chains, and they've had issues where, maybe they had to burn a timeout because the play clock's running down. How do you feel like he's improved as a game manager?
Saleh: God, I don't wanna jinx this, because I felt like pre-season was pretty good. Pre-snap wise, I thought Dayball, Dayball does a really nice job getting the call in. He's got, for the most part, a one-word system that gets him in and out of the huddle pretty quick so he can see the formation. He can get to the line of scrimmage, he can see the defense, he can communicate the way he needs to communicate. A knock on wood, I thought pre-season was as good as you could ask with regards to the overall operation. Bet not jinx it.
Reporter: Robert, people outside of Nashville are kinda making a big deal about the fact that Cardinal didn't have a catch during the pre-season. Where is he from a mindset? I know that affects receivers different ways, but he seems like a guy that really likes to live in the moment, but doesn't worry about, he's got a next play mentality. Have you seen that from him?
Saleh: Yeah, you know, this modern day athlete, I think they, more so than ever, they do have a, like they're, you know, it's funny, we talk about all the distractions of social media and all that, I think that's more for us old people. You know, like they grew up in it. And so they just, they know how to tune all that stuff out, they know how to keep the main thing the main thing, they keep the locker room where it needs to go, and they understand what they need to get done day in and day out. And so for Cardinal, I think he's going into the season, I don't want to speak for him, but I would imagine he should go into the season very confident, especially with the way he performed in practice throughout the summer.
Reporter: How do the talents of Simmons and Franklin Myers kind of complement each other, and what do you expect out of them together for the first time?
Saleh: Well, expecting the win. If you get a one-on-one, I fully expect it to be our advantage, and in every sense of the imagination. If they're one-on-one block JFM on the outside with a tight end, I fully expect the D, the C, the B, and the A gap all to be taken by one person. I expect one-on-one opportunities in pass rush to be one of our buyer guys, but I would also argue that every coach should feel that way about their guys. So, but when it comes to Jeff and Jeffery, Jeff and JFM, you know, I'm biased. I think they're two of the, that's probably one of the best combinations of interior D linemen in all the football when it comes to rushing the passer.
