Andrew Buller-Russ
It’s safe to say that the Tennessee Titans haven’t had much success in recent years. Once Robert Saleh gets his first game as head coach of the Titans under his belt, he’ll be the fourth different person to hold the clipboard on their sidelines in just the past four seasons. After back-to-back three-win seasons, it’s hard to imagine the Titans being any worse in 2026.
Yet, there’s a lot at stake as 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward kicks off his second season of play. There’s still no guarantee that he’s the long-term solution in Tennessee, but that’s what this season is all about: finding out what he’s capable of. The good news is, one of his teammates is a big believer in where Tennessee is headed.
Tyjae Spears Predicts Winning Season for Titans
Remember the Titans? The last time the Titans made the playoffs was in 2021 under Mike Vrabel, when the team won 12 games but was eliminated in the AFC Divisional Round playoffs. One player who wasn’t around back then is running back Tyjae Spears, who is projected to resume his role as the backup to Pro Bowl rusher Tony Pollard following his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard campaign.
Although Spears isn’t expected to see his role change heading into 2026, the 25-year-old is expecting a sharp turnaround from his Titans under coach Saleh this season. The fourth-year pro even went as far as to say that the Titans, after having a 3-14 record last season, will finish above .500 in 2026.
“We have a new logo, and we have a lot of new things around here,” Spears said. “So, we are going to have a winning record this year.”
Tyjae Spears on Titans in 2026
Okay, but that’s not the way that works. Just because the Titans have a “lot of new things,” including a new logo, it doesn’t mean they suddenly learned how to dominate on the gridiron. This isn’t Space Jam. The Titans didn’t just discover Michael Jordan’s “Secret Stuff.”
Yet, Spears isn’t wrong to be optimistic. Heading into his second season, Ward should improve leaps and bounds, plus the Titans have drastically improved his receiver room after drafting Carnell Tate at No. 4 and signing Wan’Dale Robinson.
Perhaps most importantly, the Titans have a head coach in Saleh who already has some experience, even if it didn’t go the way he planned with the New York Jets. Who knows? Maybe the Titans have put enough pieces together to start competing, and having players with confidence like Spears could go a long way toward reaching their goals.
Related: Predicting 1 Breakout Candidate for All 32 NFL Teams in 2026
