National Sports

NMU grad Saleh brushes off grudge match vs. Jets

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- New Titans coach Robert Saleh insists he holds no grudge against the New York Jets for firing him from his first NFL head coaching gig and that he’s only focused on opening the season with Tennessee against his old team Sunday.

“Our desire to win Week 1, beat the Jets, is because it’s Week 1 and nothing more,” Saleh said. “I’m forever grateful for the opportunity they gave.”

Forgive anyone who doesn’t buy that it’s just business in the NFL.

The Jets hired Saleh in 2021, then fired him five games into the 2024 season. Saleh was 20-36 as coach of the Jets whose playoff drought now has reached 15 straight seasons, the longest in major North American sports.

Saleh is a 2001 graduate of Northern Michigan University, playing football there from 1997 to 2000.

Now Saleh has his second chance as an NFL head coach with the Titans, who are trying to snap a skid of four consecutive losing seasons and went 6-28 combined the past two. He has plenty of former Jets with him now in Tennessee.

Saleh reunited with Aaron Whitecotton as his defensive line coach, and the Titans currently have seven players Saleh coached with the Jets either on the roster or practice squad. That group includes defensive end Jermaine Johnson II, defensive linemen John Franklin-Myers and Solomon Thomas and safety Tony Adams.

Thomas spent three seasons with the Jets between 2022 and 2024 and couldn’t be happier to see this opponent for the opener with his new team. He agrees with Saleh that there’s no grudges held against the Jets or that he and fellow teammates want to get a win against their old team for payback.

The veteran lineman going into his 10th season said he’s focused on showing what they’re doing now with the Titans.

“We went through a lot of adversity at the Jets, and we’re bringing all the things we learned from that adversity here and spreading it in the culture of this locker room, spreading in the culture of the coaches,” Thomas said.

The Jets traded Johnson to the Titans in February, giving up on a one-time Pro Bowler and their 26th pick overall in the 2022 draft. Johnson, who tore an Achilles tendon in 2024, has made clear he’s targeting at least 10 sacks this season being reunited with Saleh.