NASHVILLE – Steve Young is a Hall of Fame quarterback who watched Robert Saleh's defenses excel up close while watching the San Francisco 49ers.
Young has remained close to the 49ers, an organization he guided to three Super Bowl titles while earning a pair of league MVP award during his playing days.
He was at Levi's Stadium when the Titans faced the 49ers in Santa Clara back in December.
Young, who served as coach of the AFC team during the Pro Bowl, raved about Saleh as he steps into his second job as a head coach, after previously serving three seasons with the Jets. And, he thinks it's important for Saleh, new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and the entire organization to support quarterback Cam Ward, who threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns in that game against the 49ers.
"He is a super dynamic personality, and he really understands people," Young said of Saleh. "And I think he's learned a ton. In my mind, he is so much better of a coach because he went to the Jets. … You know what he is defensively, but how he manages the organization – and the quarterback. He can be useful to the quarterback, and can really help him. I just think he has seen it now.
"I love Robert, and I think he's going to be great."
Young said Saleh has proven to be a good communicator, and that's not always a given.
"He has an elite ability to communicate, and he keeps peoples' attention," Young said of Saleh. "In football, no one wants to go ram into each other – it's not natural. You have to find inspiration, and common goals and common bonds, and shared common experiences. Truthfully, an elemental love for each other. And Robert, that's what he does. He creates that intensity.
"So, you think: What is the secret to football? A lot of guys don't get it. Robert gets it."
Saleh tabbed Daboll, who served as head coach of the New York Giants from 2022-25 and also previously served eight total seasons as an NFL offensive coordinator with the Browns (2009-10), Dolphins (2011), Chiefs (2012) and Bills (2018-2021), to be his OC in Tennessee.
Developing Ward is going to be key to their success, Young said.
"I want Robert to take the Bill Walsh fruit, which is everywhere in the NFL today," Young said. "You think about what that is at its root, and it's focusing on the quarterback. The whole organization is about making the quarterback's job as easy and useful as possible, and everyone in the organization understands this.
"Cam is able to now see the full measure of who Cam is, and we're going to be great. But if we keep doing things that hold him down, it's a problem."
