The Titans opened their preseason with a 19-13 win over the 49ers, but the final score only tells part of the story. Tennessee got enough from every level to escape with the victory, yet the night also exposed some clear rough edges, especially in the secondary, where the Titans had trouble slowing down San Francisco’s reserves.
Even with John Franklin-Myers, Kalel Mullings, Jacob Martin, and Jackie Marshall unavailable, Tennessee found production in key spots. Joey Slye set the tone with a strong night in his return to San Francisco, while the Titans’ starting offense flashed early before tapering off.
Cam Ward and the first unit looked sharp on the opening drive, and Tony Pollard finished that march with the Titans’ first touchdown. After that, though, the offense lost some of its rhythm and will need to sharpen things up before the season opener against the New York Jets.
Slye was one of the biggest bright spots. He drilled field goals from 35, 55, 53, and 58 yards and added his lone extra point, showing the kind of consistency Tennessee had been searching for during training camp. In tough kicking conditions, he looked locked in and gave the Titans a huge boost.
On the other side, Cor’Dale Flott had a rough night in coverage. The 49ers picked on him often, and he struggled to hold up, even though he finished with five tackles, including four solo stops. A critical penalty against him also helped set up a score.
Femi Oladejo offered a much cleaner performance. In his first game action since breaking his leg midway through his rookie season, he looked explosive and disruptive. He didn’t get a sack, but he spent plenty of time in the backfield and was firm against the run, finishing with four total tackles, two of them solo.
Alontae Taylor also had an uneven showing. The Titans’ other high-priced cornerback addition was tested early on the 49ers’ first drive and was hit with a critical holding penalty that extended the possession. He settled in after that and ended with one solo tackle, but the early damage was already done.
Fernando Carmona earned a spotlight as well. Starting at right guard, he handled himself well in his NFL debut and continued a trend that had been building since the Titans’ Blue & White scrimmage, where he had been taking most of the first-team snaps. That usage suggests he has the inside track to the starting job.
Ward’s night was mixed at best. He looked efficient on the opening series, but the next two drives told a different story.
He finished 5-of-12 for 57 yards, held the ball too long at times, and was lucky to escape a critical intentional grounding penalty that looked like something out of the Will Levis highlight reel. If Tennessee is going to move beyond the 3-14 record in 2025, Ward has to be better.
Tyjae Spears landed somewhere in between. His four carries for 35 yards looked solid on paper, but most of that production came on one 25-yard run.
He also added one catch for four yards, which fell short of the passing-game impact he had shown throughout camp. He contributed, but not quite at the level Tennessee has been seeing from him.
In Other News...
Titans Fans Already Have A Robert Saleh And Cam Ward Debate
The Titans opened their 2026 preseason with a 19-13 win over the 49ers, and the bigger takeaway afterward was less about the scoreboard than the early conversation around Robert Saleh and Cam Ward. Saleh addressed Wards performance after the game, while also making note of 49ers rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, giving Titans fans a little of the usual August mix of optimism and overreaction that comes with a new season.
It did not take long for the debate to sharpen once independent reporter John Frascella weighed in with criticism of Salehs coaching and Wards preparedness. For Tennessee, the preseason is already serving as a proving ground for both the rookie quarterback and the new head coach, and the push and pull around their first showing only adds to the pressure of figuring out what this team really looks like before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Fernando Carmona Just Turned Up The Heat On Titans Camp Battle
The early days of Titans camp had already pointed to a real competition at right guard, and the preseason opener only sharpened it. Rookie Fernando Carmona got the first look with the starters against San Francisco and held up well in both protection and the run game, giving Tennessee a clean first impression from a spot that has been under a microscope all summer.
Fernando Carmonas showing mattered because the other names in the mix did not separate themselves nearly as well once the rotation started to turn. Cordell Volsons work after he entered the game left the staff with more to weigh, and the battle now looks less like a formality and more like a true test between Carmona, Volson and sophomore Jackson Slater as the Titans sort out who fits best on the right side. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Fans Just Got A Needed Reality Check On This Rebuild
The Titans preseason meeting with the 49ers offered a pretty clean snapshot of where this rebuild stands right now. With the starters on the field for three drives, Tennessee looked more like a team still figuring things out than one ready to flip the switch, and the 7-7 tie reflected that work-in-progress feel. Cam Ward was part of the conversation, but so were the defensive backs, who are still adjusting to the scheme as the coaching staff tries to build more cohesion on both sides of the ball.
For fans hoping the pieces would come together quickly, the game was a useful reminder that patience is still part of the plan. Tennessee has a young roster and enough moving parts that expecting an immediate jump would be a stretch, especially when the fundamentals of timing, communication and overall competency are still being sorted out. The preseason can be misleading, but in this case it looked less like a false alarm and more like a team that simply needs more time. [Read more 🡒]