On Sunday, the Tennessee Titans secured their first win of 2026, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 26-20 and snapping a 10-game losing streak. But before the game, head coach Robert Saleh made a surprise decision by making starting cornerback Alontae Taylor inactive.
On Monday during his media session, Saleh did not disclose the reason and would not say whether it was disciplinary or performance-based. In fact, his response to questions about Taylor’s future was telling.
Saleh on whether Alontae Taylor is a one-week inactive, and if he's now week to week: We'll discuss it as a staff and make a decision that is best moving forward@Titans
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) October 19, 2026
"We'll discuss it as a staff and make a decision that is best for the team moving forward."
That's not quite a glowing
endorsement for a player the Titans signed to a three-year, $58 million contract with $42 million guaranteed in free agency earlier in 2026. But without knowing the exact reasoning behind this change, it's hard to predict what happens next.
Taylor has struggled to adjust to his new role as a full-time outside cornerback, and moving him back to nickel may not be a simple fix. Cornerback Marcus Harris has been strong as the Titans' starting nickel, and swapping him for Taylor would limit his impact and take one of the most consistent starters off the field.
Complicating matters for Taylor is that Joshua Williams stepped in for him and had a solid game in his first action since returning from injured reserve, and he should only improve with more reps.
Things should start to clear up on Wednesday, when the Titans return to the field to prepare for their matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans' Robert Saleh deflects questions on Alontae Taylor
