Titans’ Robert Saleh hires ex-Jets assistant away from Cowboys

Robert Saleh is building a new staff. After another successful stint as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator, Saleh has landed a job as the Tennessee Titans’ new head coach. Saleh is hoping to bring together a competent coaching staff to mold a young and promising team into a contender in the surprisingly competitive AFC South.

With that in mind, Saleh is bringing in a familiar face to be part of his defensive coaching staff. Paul Kuharsky reports that Cowboys defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton is headed to the Titans to join Saleh. Whitecotton was part of Saleh’s staff when he was the head coach of the New York Jets.

Saleh bringing some of his old Jets coaches to Tennessee. https://t.co/sV8U1mN30h

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 27, 2026

Whitecotton was also under consideration earlier this season to be the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator after they fired Matt Eberflus. However, Dallas has decided to hire Christian Parker, who was an assistant coach for the Eagles in the last two years. With that, Whitecotton is heading to the Titans to coach a defensive line headlined by Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat.

After firing Brian Callahan in the middle of the season, the Titans started their search for a new head coach. Callahan’s stint with the Titans was disastrous, finishing with a 4-19 record. It will be interesting to see what Saleh does with Tennessee, who has 2025 first overall pick Cam Ward as their signal-caller.

Saleh’s last stint as a head coach did not end too well. Hired by the Jets in 2021, Saleh compiled a 20-36 record through his time in New York. New York boasted a strong defense under the former DC, but his clashes with Aaron Rodgers, as well as the injury issues experienced by the quarterback, did not help matters. Saleh was eventually fired in 2024, returning to the 49ers as their defensive coordinator.

The 49ers had a rag-tag defensive lineup due to injuries to their key players, but Saleh was still able to field a competent enough unit to make it to the Divisional Round. The Titans hope that Saleh has learned from his past errors and leads the team to success in 2026 and beyond.

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