Robert Saleh’s debut as the Tennessee Titans’ head coach did not go as planned. In their home opener, the Titans were physically overwhelmed by Saleh’s former employer, the New York Jets.
The lifeless 23-10 defeat has left Titans fans demanding answers as to how Saleh plans to right the ship. In news that will surprise not a single Jets fan, it appears that in this dire time, Saleh has turned to a familiar strategy: touting mantras.
According to Terry McCormick of Titan Insider, multiple Titans players were seen wearing “60%” T-shirts in the locker room. Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo explained that the slogan comes from something Saleh told them: that when you feel like you have exerted all your energy, data shows you really have only used 40% of it, and that 60% remains.
This, of course, is the exact same mantra that Saleh already pushed in the Jets’ locker room ahead of the 2022 season.
Saleh choosing to revive an identical mantra from his Jets tenure is emblematic of the early signs that he is showing little growth as a head coach. His season-opening coaching performance looked eerily familiar to Jets fans. The team came out flat in an anticipated game, did not make schematic adjustments, and blew a timeout early in each half.
Not only that, but Saleh continued showing cowardice as a game manager. He essentially gave up on any remaining chance of a comeback with his choice to punt on 4th & 9 from the Jets’ 43-yard line while trailing by 17 with 1:12 remaining in the third quarter, a decision highly reminiscent of his Jets tenure.
The Jets are moving on with Saleh in the rearview, but the remnants of his New York tenure live on in Tennessee.
