The Tennessee Titans’ hiring of Robert Saleh is already generating respect around the AFC, and it showed up in an unexpected place this week at the Pro Bowl in San Francisco. Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, a division rival who just wrapped his third Pro Bowl season, gave Saleh an unsolicited endorsement during an exchange with Titans rookie Chimere Dike.
The message was clear—Saleh’s reputation for building elite defenses and developing talent has spread far beyond Nashville.
“Your coach–ya’ll about to turn up,” Taylor told Dike in a Titans’ social media video captured during Pro Bowl festivities. “He’s a good guy, just from what I heard from guys who played for him.”
Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl Star Jonathan Taylor Praises Tennessee Titans Coach Robert Saleh
The praise carries weight. Taylor isn’t some fringe player offering empty platitudes. The Colts’ workhorse led the NFL with 19 total touchdowns in 2025, racking up 1,489 rushing yards on 288 carries while earning his third career Pro Bowl selection.
But Taylor didn’t stop at complimenting Tennessee’s coaching hire. He dropped a warning that should make the rest of the AFC take notice.
Taylor Acknowledges AFC South Improvement
Saleh’s hiring marked the Titans’ attempt to accelerate a rebuild that bottomed out at 3-14 in 2025. The 46-year-old brings 21 seasons of NFL coaching experience, including a stint as New York Jets head coach from 2021 to 2024, where he posted a 20-36 record before being fired five games into the 2024 season.
Despite the Jets’ struggles—largely attributed to quarterback instability—Saleh’s defensive reputation remained intact. He returned to San Francisco as defensive coordinator in 2025 and led an injury-ravaged unit to the NFC Divisional Round, cementing his status as one of the league’s top defensive minds.
During his first stint as 49ers‘ defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020, Saleh engineered a defense that ranked second in the NFL in total yards allowed per game in 2019 and led San Francisco to a Super Bowl appearance. He’s been part of nine top-10 defenses during his NFL career.
The Titans paired Saleh with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll last week, a move designed to maximize rookie quarterback Cam Ward’s development. Daboll, the former New York Giants head coach, brings experience developing quarterbacks and designing creative offensive schemes.
Taylor’s respect for Saleh’s hire was evident, but his assessment of the division as a whole carried an edge.
“I ain’t going to lie, our division bro, it used to be (down) here, our **** up here now,” Taylor told Dike. “AFC South about to kill it, bro.”
The declaration reflects a division in transition. Jacksonville won the AFC South at 13-4 in 2025, while Indianapolis finished 8-7 and missed the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Tennessee sat at the bottom with its 3-14 record, but the Titans’ young core is starting to take shape.
Titans’ Rebuild Taking Shape
Dike, the rookie Taylor was speaking to, exemplifies Tennessee’s potential. The fourth-round pick out of Florida set the all-time NFL rookie record for all-purpose yards in 2025, totaling 2,427 yards including well over 1,500 kickoff return yards. He earned both Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors, joining Taylor in San Francisco as an AFC representative.
Ward, the Titans’ top overall pick in the 2025 draft, started all 17 games and set the Titans’ single-season rookie passing record with 3,169 yards despite limited offensive weapons around him. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons earned his fourth Pro Bowl selection after recording nine sacks while anchoring Tennessee’s defensive front.
The Titans’ rebuild under general manager Mike Borgonzi is gaining momentum. Saleh’s introductory press conference emphasized building a culture rooted in speed, physicality and accountability—traits that could accelerate Tennessee’s return to competitiveness in a division where Jacksonville just proved a quick turnaround is possible.
Taylor’s comments suggest the rest of the AFC South is taking notice. It’s certainly going to be an exciting offseason for the Titans.
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