# 2026 Tennessee Titans season
The 2026 [Tennessee Titans](https://www.edgepedia.org/tennessee-titans) season is the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league) franchise's 67th season and its first under head coach [Robert Saleh](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-saleh), who was hired in January 2026 after the team fired Brian Callahan during a 3-14 2025 season. The Titans entered the year rebuilding around second-year quarterback Cam Ward, the first overall pick of the 2025 draft, and through five games stood at 0-5, last in the AFC South.[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) • [2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Robert Saleh, hired January 2026 as the 22nd head coach in franchise history[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) • [3](https://embed-rech-01.dialog.cm/tennesseetitans/docs/2026_tennessee_titans_yearbook) |
| 2025 record | 3-14 (284 points scored, 478 allowed, a -194 point differential)[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) |
| Coordinator hires | Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator, Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) |
| Cap spending | Roughly $97 million in cap space, the most in the league as of late February 2026[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) |
| Draft | No. 4 overall pick used on WR Carnell Tate; two first-round picks, Tate and Keldric Faulk[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) • [4](https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-tyjae-spears-says-2026-will-be-season-of-change-we-are-going-to-have-a-winning-record-this-year) |
| Record through Week 5 | 0-5, fourth place in the AFC South[5](https://www.nfl.com/teams/tennessee-titans/) |
| Stadium note | Final season at the old Nissan Stadium; the new stadium is expected to open in 2027[6](https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/05/15/titans-begin-nissan-stadiums-final-season-against-jets) |
## Offseason and coaching overhaul
**A new staff.** The Titans fired Brian Callahan on October 13, 2025, six games into his second season, after a 1-5 start left him at 4-19 overall; Mike McCoy served as interim coach for the rest of 2025.[7](https://apnews.com/article/2490d0d6a087ef98bb4aefee22018020) In January 2026 the team hired Robert Saleh, formerly defensive coordinator of the [San Francisco 49ers](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-francisco-49ers) and head coach of the [New York Jets](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-jets) from 2021 to 2024, as the 22nd head coach in franchise history.[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) • [3](https://embed-rech-01.dialog.cm/tennesseetitans/docs/2026_tennessee_titans_yearbook) Saleh brought in [Brian Daboll](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-daboll) as offensive coordinator specifically to develop Cam Ward, and Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator.[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) Daboll, entering his 30th year in coaching, had guided first-round rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart in 2025 with the Giants.[8](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/team/coaches-roster/brian-daboll)
**Roster rebuilding.** With roughly $97 million in cap space, the most in the league as of late February 2026, the Titans signed wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, edge rusher Jermaine Johnson, and defensive lineman [John Franklin](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-franklin)-Myers in free agency.[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) In the 2026 draft they held the No. 4 overall pick, the first time in franchise history the team used that selection, and took wide receiver Carnell Tate to pair with [Calvin Ridley](https://www.edgepedia.org/calvin-ridley) and Robinson; linebacker [Arvell Reese](https://www.edgepedia.org/arvell-reese), pass rusher David Bailey, and linebacker Sonny Styles had been cited as defensive options at that slot before the draft.[9](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/titans-2026-draft-notes) • [10](https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/04/22/titans-loaded-with-needs-heading-into-nfl-draft) The team also introduced a new logo, new helmets, and new uniforms for the season.[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-tyjae-spears-says-2026-will-be-season-of-change-we-are-going-to-have-a-winning-record-this-year)
Running back Tyjae Spears framed the changes optimistically before camp: "We have a new logo, and we have a lot of new things around here. So, we are going to have a winning record this year." The Titans had not had a winning campaign since 2021 and had back-to-back 14-loss years.[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-tyjae-spears-says-2026-will-be-season-of-change-we-are-going-to-have-a-winning-record-this-year)
## Expectations
Preseason projections placed Tennessee at the bottom of the league. The SharpModels rating model ranked the Titans 32nd of 32 teams, gave them a 1 percent chance to win the [AFC South](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-south), and projected 4.9 expected wins, while betting markets rated them at 10 percent, a gap the model attributed to the wholesale coaching and quarterback-support overhaul that a results-based rating could not yet credit.[1](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview) One betting preview projected the Titans to finish among the worst teams in the NFL, giving points in only two games.[11](https://www.covers.com/nfl/afc-south-predictions-odds-best-picks-2026) The team opened as narrow 1.5-point favorites over the Jets in Week 1, Saleh's first regular-season game against his former team.[12](https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/09/10/robert-saleh-begins-titans-tenure-against-old-team)
## Season to date
**Preseason.** Tennessee went 2-1 in exhibition play, beating the 49ers 19-13 and the Seahawks 19-16 before losing 24-15 to the Bears.[13](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/schedule/)
**An 0-5 start.** The Titans lost their first five regular-season games: 23-10 to the Jets, 24-20 to the Eagles, 12-7 to the Giants, 24-18 at the Ravens, and 26-3 at home to the Texans on October 11.[2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans) The Houston loss was the team's worst offensive performance of the season: 187 total yards, three points, and four Cam Ward sacks, all within the final 11 minutes.[14](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/2026/10/11/titans-saleh-cam-ward-starter/c29b38c6-c5c6-11f1-aefb-abe4112d087e_story.html)
**Cam Ward's status.** After the Houston game, Saleh said there was no thought of benching his quarterback: "Cam is our starting quarterback. We're going to give him every opportunity to be successful this year." Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in 2025, stood 3-19 as a starter, having thrown for 896 yards at 5.8 yards per attempt with three touchdowns and three interceptions, the interceptions all coming in the previous three games.[14](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/2026/10/11/titans-saleh-cam-ward-starter/c29b38c6-c5c6-11f1-aefb-abe4112d087e_story.html) The franchise overall was 6-33 since the start of the 2024 season and closing in on a fifth consecutive losing record.[14](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/2026/10/11/titans-saleh-cam-ward-starter/c29b38c6-c5c6-11f1-aefb-abe4112d087e_story.html) Ward's 2025 drop rate of 11.1 percent (minimum 25 targets) had been fifth-worst in the NFL per Next Gen Stats, one of the development issues the new staff targeted.[15](https://amp.nfl.com/news/afc-south-training-camp-2026-preview-texans-colts-jaguars-titans)
**A bright spot.** Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September 2026.[16](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/sitemap/html/articles/2026/10)
## Schedule
The Titans opened the regular season at home against the Jets on September 13, the final home opener at the old [Nissan Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/nissan-stadium) before the new stadium opens in 2027.[2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans) • [6](https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/05/15/titans-begin-nissan-stadiums-final-season-against-jets) Upcoming games after the bye in Week 9 include home dates with the Jaguars (November 15), Commanders (December 6), Colts (December 20), and Steelers (January 3), and road games at the Cowboys, Jaguars, Lions, Raiders, and Texans.[2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans)
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 13 | vs Jets | L 10-23[2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans) |
| 2 | Sep 20 | vs Eagles | L 20-24[2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans) |
| 3 | Sep 27 | vs Giants | L 7-12[2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans) |
| 4 | Oct 4 | at Ravens | L 18-24[2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans) |
| 5 | Oct 11 | vs Texans | L 3-26[2](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans) |
| 6 | Oct 18 | at Colts | 1:00 PM EDT[5](https://www.nfl.com/teams/tennessee-titans/) |
| 7 | Oct 25 | vs Browns | 1:00 PM EDT[5](https://www.nfl.com/teams/tennessee-titans/) |
| 8 | Nov 1 | at Bengals | 1:00 PM EST[5](https://www.nfl.com/teams/tennessee-titans/) |
## References
1. [2026 AFC South Preview, SharpModels](https://sharpmodels.com/articles/2026-nfl-afc-south-preview)
2. [NFL 2026 Tennessee Titans Schedule, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2026/by-team/tennessee-titans)
3. [2026 Tennessee Titans Yearbook, TennesseeTitans.com](https://embed-rech-01.dialog.cm/tennesseetitans/docs/2026_tennessee_titans_yearbook)
4. [Titans' Tyjae Spears says 2026 will be season of 'change', NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-tyjae-spears-says-2026-will-be-season-of-change-we-are-going-to-have-a-winning-record-this-year)
5. [Tennessee Titans News, Scores, Stats, Schedule, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/teams/tennessee-titans/)
6. [Titans begin Nissan Stadium's final season against Jets, Axios Nashville](https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/05/15/titans-begin-nissan-stadiums-final-season-against-jets)
7. [Titans make Brian Callahan NFL's 1st coach fired this year, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/2490d0d6a087ef98bb4aefee22018020)
8. [Brian Daboll coach bio, TennesseeTitans.com](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/team/coaches-roster/brian-daboll)
9. [Titans 2026 Draft Notes, TennesseeTitans.com](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/titans-2026-draft-notes)
10. [Titans are loaded with needs heading into NFL Draft, Axios Nashville](https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/04/22/titans-loaded-with-needs-heading-into-nfl-draft)
11. [AFC South Predictions, Odds & NFL Best Picks for 2026, Covers.com](https://www.covers.com/nfl/afc-south-predictions-odds-best-picks-2026)
12. [Robert Saleh begins Titans tenure against old team, Axios Nashville](https://www.axios.com/local/nashville/2026/09/10/robert-saleh-begins-titans-tenure-against-old-team)
13. [Titans 2026 Schedule, TennesseeTitans.com](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/schedule/)
14. [A 26-3 loss, a 0-5 start, and no QB change with Cam Ward still the Titans' starter, The Washington Post (AP)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl/2026/10/11/titans-saleh-cam-ward-starter/c29b38c6-c5c6-11f1-aefb-abe4112d087e_story.html)
15. [AFC South training camp 2026 preview, NFL.com](https://amp.nfl.com/news/afc-south-training-camp-2026-preview-texans-colts-jaguars-titans)
16. [TennesseeTitans.com articles, October 2026](https://www.tennesseetitans.com/sitemap/html/articles/2026/10)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › National Football League › NFL teams and franchises*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license