Burke Nihill publicly backed Robert Saleh and Mike Borgonzi on Friday, offering a clear vote of confidence after the Tennessee Titans opened the 2026 season 0-5. Speaking to 's Turron Davenport with clearance to do so on behalf of Amy Adams Strunk, the Titans CEO said he believes the organization still has the right people in place to turn things around.
That matters because the Titans have again landed in a difficult early-season spot. Tennessee has not had a winning season since 2021, and the team has gone 6-33 since 2024. The latest stretch has been especially rough, with losses to the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens before the defeat to the Houston Texans that prompted Nihill's comments. Through Week 6, Tennessee ranked last in points and yards.
What Nihill said
Nihill said he personally feels a sense of stability around the current leadership group and believes Borgonzi and Saleh will ultimately get the team out of the woods and back to competitive football. He described the process as one that has not yet found momentum, but said, in his view, the train is on the tracks and will start moving faster.
He also said there is organizational belief in Mike Borgonzi and Robert Saleh, and that they have the support they need to push the Titans forward. For a franchise that has cycled through change in recent years, that public backing stands out, especially after Mike Vrabel was fired following consecutive 7-10 and 6-11 seasons and Brian Callahan was ousted following Week 6 of the 2025 campaign after going 4-19.
What it means for Tennessee
The timing is important because Saleh inherited a roster that has not yet found its footing, and the early results have only intensified scrutiny. Tennessee lost to the Eagles 24-20 in Week 2, fell by 5 points to the Giants in Week 3, and dropped a 24-18 decision to the Ravens in Week 4. The Titans have also been trying to develop Cam Ward into a franchise quarterback, with Saleh bringing in Brian Daboll to help with that process.
Nihill also apologized to fans after the latest loss, saying the first thing he would say back to them is that he is sorry. He added that the Titans are 0-5, and that is not nearly good enough. It has not been good enough for a while, he said.
For now, the message from the top is simple: the Titans are not making a change, at least not publicly. Instead, the organization is standing by Saleh and Borgonzi and asking for patience while the season is still young, even if the record and the numbers have made the road feel a lot longer than five games.
