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After a 3-14 finish in 2025, the Tennessee Titans turned to a major offseason shakeup.
Brian Callahan was fired six games into his second season as head coach. Robert Saleh left his role as defensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers in January to replace Callahan.
In his second chance as an NFL head coach, Saleh will be tasked with guiding the development of Cam Ward, last year’s No. 1 overall draft pick. Ward threw 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a rookie.
Saleh’s first rookie camp with the Titans opened this week, but the new head coach said Thursday that his focus extends beyond the white lines on the football field.
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Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh speaks to the media before the Titans rookie camp at the Vanderbilt Health Football Center in Nashville, Tenn. on May 1, 2026. (DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Seed oils will no longer be available at the Titans’ practice facility in Nashville, Saleh announced. The team’s nutrition staff works closely with coaches and players during the transition.
The Titans could target common cooking oils like canola and soybean for replacement with alternatives they believe can support player performance.
A general view of Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee prior to the NFL game between the New England Patriots and the Tennessee Titans on October 19, 2025. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)
“One of the first things I think we did here is get rid of all the seed oils in the building, which I think the players appreciate. Ms. Amy [Adams Strunk, controlling owner] has allowed us to attack the budget and get the players a better variety,” Saleh told reporters.
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“I’ve been in six different buildings and I would put this staff up there with the best of them. The product they put out in the cafeteria daily is outstanding.”
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Saleh’s announcement ignited debate across the nutrition community, which remains divided on the issue.
“There is ample evidence to suggest that seed oils are not bad for you. If anything, they are good for you,” said Matti Marklund, Ph.D., MSE, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Marklund also argued that seed oils “have been demonized based on misunderstandings of how they are made and how the human body uses them, as well as their ubiquity in ultra-processed foods.”
Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll speak during stretches during Titans rookie camp at the Vanderbilt Health Football Center in Nashville, Tenn., on May 2, 2026. (DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The Titans open the regular season Sept. 13 by hosting the New York Jets, the team Saleh coached from 2021-24.
Historically, seed oils have not been directly linked to the NFL’s drug policy, but players may still want to consider how certain oils are treated.
Hemp seed oil has generally been shown to be free of cannabinoids and is unlikely to trigger a positive THC test. However, unrefined hemp oils, hemp seed protein powders, and products made with whole or crushed hemp seeds may contain traces of THC metabolites. Elevated levels of these metabolites in an athlete’s system can potentially support a positive marijuana test result.
Hemp seed oil is commonly used in salad dressings or drizzled over ready meals such as soups, roasted vegetables and pasta. It can also be added to cold dips and sauces or mixed into mayonnaise and hummus.
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Poppy seed oil, which is sometimes used in muffins and bagels, may also contain trace amounts of morphine and codeine. Ingesting large amounts of the oil can trigger a positive drug test, according to the US National Library of Medicine.
“Ingestion of poppy seeds containing morphine and codeine may produce positive opiate tests and mislead result interpretation in forensic and clinical settings. Several publications evaluated urinary opiate concentrations following poppy seed ingestion,” according to the NLM.
In 2016, the independent administrator of the NFL’s drug-testing program warned players against eating meat produced in China and Mexico due to concerns about clenbuterol contamination. Clenbuterol is a stimulant associated with muscle growth and weight loss.
The substance is banned under the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. “Consuming large amounts of meat while visiting the particular countries may result in a positive test,” the administrator’s memo said at the time.
