Story byVictor BarbosaTue, January 20, 2026 at 8:47 PM UTC·2 min readIt was reported late Monday night that the Tennessee Titans were close to finalizing a deal to hire San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh as their next head coach. Amid the news, senior NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic discussed the move, lambasting those who have been comparing Saleh to New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe latter spent six seasons as Tennessee’s head coach, leading the Titans to the playoffs three times and earning Coach of the Year honors following the 2021 campaign. Vrabel, who guided the Patriots to a 14-3 record during the 2025 regular season and has them in the AFC Championship Game, was fired by Tennessee following the 2023 season after the Titans finished 6-11.“I think it’s fair to point out that the Titans were looking for Mike Vrabel-type qualities in this hire. It’s smart. Who cares if they had that type previously and fired him,” Russini posted on Bluesky.
