The NFL loves storylines, and apparently, Robert Saleh saw this one coming from a mile away.
When the New York Jets’ 2026 regular-season schedule dropped and revealed a Week 1 showdown at the Tennessee Titans, the immediate reaction centered around the obvious revenge-game narrative. Saleh, fired by the Jets and now beginning his first season as Tennessee’s head coach, gets an immediate shot at the franchise he once led.
According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, that matchup may not have caught Saleh off guard in the slightest. Cimini, citing conversations with people familiar with Saleh’s thinking, shared that the Titans head coach fully expected this outcome.
This only adds fuel to what was already one of the more intriguing Week 1 storylines on the NFL calendar. Yes, the headliner is obvious. Saleh gets his crack at the organization that moved on from him before his vision ever fully materialized, but the subplot runs much deeper than one coach facing his former employer. Tennessee’s roster has become something of a Jets reunion tour.
Saleh brought several familiar faces with him, particularly on defense. Names like Jermaine Johnson, John Franklin-Myers, Solomon Thomas, Tony Adams, and Jacob Martin come to mind. Former Jets running back Michael Carter also landed in Tennessee, creating even more connective tissue between both organizations.
That’s before mentioning the Jets’ side of the equation. Former Titans players T’Vondre Sweat and Jarvis Brownlee now reside in New York after offseason trades, giving this opener another layer of revenge-driven intrigue. That’s likely why this matchup made too much sense for the league to ignore.
Week 1 is always about compelling television, and a first-year Titans coach facing the franchise that dismissed him, while several former players line up against old teammates, checks every box. If Saleh truly expected this all along, he clearly understands exactly how the NFL likes to tell its stories.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Robert Saleh reportedly saw Titans-Jets Week 1 showdown coming
Reporting by Geoffrey A Knox, Jets Wire / Jets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
