Kevin Stefanski had to wait patiently to see if Robert Saleh was going to ransack the Atlanta Falcons' defensive coaching staff, but we finally have our answer. After signing on too late to pursue a Jeff Ulbrich reunion. Saleh directed his attention towards Falcons' defensive pass game coordinator Mike Rutenberg for Tennessee's DC vacancy.
Rutenberg was believed to be a leading candidate for the opening, but believe it or not, Raheem Morris did the Dirty Birds a solid on his way out the door. After he took the 49ers' DC opening, Gus Bradley was available for the taking, and Saleh chose to bring his top lieutenant along with him to Tennessee.
The Tennessee Titans are hiring veteran 49ers assistant Gus Bradley as their new defensive coordinator, source confirms. Robert Saleh brings a familiar face over from San Francisco. pic.twitter.com/WNXuJ01lyC
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) February 2, 2026
In the end, what it ultimately came down to was experience. Saleh already hired an experienced offensive coordinator for the Titans and wanted an experienced DC as well, but was expecting Bradley to be his successor since Morris was initially hesitant to pursue coordinator opportunities.
In addition to a short stint as the head coach of the Jaguars (where Saleh was an assistant under him), the 59-year-old has been a defensive coordinator for the Seahawks, Chargers, Raiders, and Colts, but spent last season as the assistant head coach in San Francisco after the Colts fired him.
Mike Rutenberg is more likely to be retained on Kevin Stefanski's coaching staff after he didn't land the Titans DC job
This is not to say that Rutenberg won't choose to defect and accept the same role on Saleh's staff because of their history, but it doesn't feel overly likely. The Falcons could offer him an assistant head coach title now that Jerry Gray's contract expired to lock in a promotion to keep him in Atlanta.
The 44-year-old coached with Saleh in Jacksonville, New York, and San Francisco before following Jeff Ulbrich to Atlanta upon his firing with the Jets. They obviously still have a close relationship if he was being considered for a major promotion like this, so Stefanski isn't out of the woods just yet.
Saleh was always going to call plays for the Titans, so regardless of whether Rutenberg leaves and has the DC title or whatnot is irrelevant since he will certainly have a significant role in gameplanning with a secondary that was battered with injuries all year long if he were to leave.
He's still listed on the team website because he's still under contract, but obviously his mentor is gonna put on the full-court press for another reunion. Additionally, Mike LaFleur worked with him in New York just like Saleh did, so he could be a target to become the next DC of the Arizona Cardinals.
But not landing a DC job will make at least make it easier for Stefanski and Ulbrich to retain him after he did stellar work with a rough DB room.