The 2026 NFL schedule won’t be released until mid-May, but teams already know many opponents. The Jets, who finished last in the AFC East in 2025, are slated to play the fourth-place finishers from the AFC South, NFC West and AFC North—the Titans, Cardinals and Browns. The current information confirms the Jets will travel to Tennessee for the matchup, though the exact date remains TBD. Sports outlets have speculated that the league may try a season-opening “revenge game” approach again.
Saleh’s relationship with New York remains a central piece of the storyline. Hired in 2021 to steady a struggling Jets team, he was fired midway through his fourth season after an international loss, finishing 20-36 with no more than seven wins in any year. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity, telling Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic that coaching in New York on a big stage was “as lucky as lucky gets.”
Back in Tennessee, Saleh addressed questions about his tenure with the Jets and his current role. He said he didn’t call plays in New York, instead delegating to coordinators, and that on game days he felt like “the timeout and red flag guy” with the “greatest seat in the house as a fan,” while emphasizing that his strength is connecting with players.
Saleh also indicated he will call plays for the Titans, a departure from his Jets era. He framed play-calling not as a matter of control but of building relationships with players, a nuance he referenced when discussing his coaching philosophy and how he plans to influence Tennessee’s offense.
Reaction from Jets fans and media figures in the wake of Saleh’s remarks was mixed. Some critics suggested his role in New York limited his control, while others pressed that he could have altered the dynamic if he truly wanted to call plays. Social-media commentators—including content creators and analysts—debated the significance of those past decisions as the teams prepare for a potential Week 1-type clash in 2026.
The Titans-Jets matchup will add a fresh narrative to Saleh’s coaching arc, pitting his current leadership against the franchise he once led. With the full schedule to be released in May, fans and observers will watch how Saleh’s return to face New York unfolds, both on the field and in press conferences.
