Top Titans Defensive Coordinator Candidates!
WRITTEN BY BRODY RUPERT
The Tennessee Titans recently hired Robert Saleh to be their next head coach, and he has quickly begun filling the offensive coaching staff, including Brian Daboll as their offensive coordinator.
Saleh has not been as fast to fill the defensive coaching positions yet, and there is less clear cut of candidates for that spot. Due to Saleh calling defensive plays, which he announced quickly after being hired, he will likely find a familiar face to be his defensive coordinator. Let's look through some of the candidates.
Jets
Mike Rutenberg, Falcons Defensive Pass Game Coordinator
If you are curious about a connection with Saleh, Atlanta Falcons defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg has just that. During his head coaching stint with the New York Jets, Rutenberg was the linebackers coach. Before that, they worked together in San Francisco and Jacksonville.
Coaches often like to bring staff members when they move, and Rutenberg has coached with Saleh for about 8 seasons over his career in 3 different locations. They have enough experience with each other to constitute Rutenberg coming to Tennessee, but the only question is whether he gets the defensive coordinator role.
The Falcons in 2025 were a top-half passing defense under Rutenberg. They ranked 13th in passing yards allowed per game, as well as being 8th in interceptions.
I think Rutenberg would be a decent choice for being a defensive coordinator, especially considering he wouldn’t be calling plays. It would give him the opportunity to develop under Saleh and potentially get a play-calling job in the future.
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Dino Vasso, Texans DBs coach
Dino Vasso has been the defensive backs coach for the Houston Texans since 2024 and has been in that system since 2021. He has become one of the top candidates for the Titans' defensive coordinator job after being interviewed.
Vasso and Saleh do not have any direct ties to each other, but Vasso has been known to develop great talent and lead great passing defenses in Houston over the past few seasons, most notably developing star cornerback Derek Stingley.
Vasso and Saleh are known for utilizing very similar defensive schemes with a base 4-3 scheme. Both the Texans and Saleh use a strong 4-man rush, limited blitzing, and a zone-heavy defense.
Due to the familiar schemes, Vasso will slide right in perfectly with the defense that Saleh is forming, and is my personal top choice to be the future defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans.
John Jones-Imagn Images
Marquand Manuel, Former Giants DB coach
Another coach familiar to Robert Saleh is New York Giants defensive backs coach Marquand Manuel. Manuel was the safeties coach for the entirety of Saleh’s tenure with the Jets, so he could very easily be brought to Tennessee in an improved role.
This is not a flashy pick, and could potentially take a role below defensive coordinator for Tennessee if he ends up coming, but he has familiarity with Saleh and just led the Giants to a middle-of-the-pack passing defense ranking, so it is possible.
Michael Zagaris/GettyImages
Gus Bradley, 49ers Assistant Head coach
Brody did a terrific job with this article, but this is Sharm here with a quick edit.
With the news of the San Francisco 49ers hiring Raheem Morris to serve as their next defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley has now emerged as a DC option for the Titans. Bradley and Saleh know each other well, as Saleh was on Bradley’s staff in Jacksonville, and the two also worked together in San Francisco.
Bradley is one of the most experienced defensive minds in football, leading four top-10 defenses in his career and establishing himself as an elite coordinator.
Hiring Bradley would be a home-run move from Saleh, and one that is a possibility now with Morris heading to the 49ers.
Written by Brody Rupert
Contributor for SharmSports