NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have launched their search for a new general manager, kicking off by interviewing three candidates. They started with two former general managers, Reggie McKenzie and Thomas Dimitroff, and conducted their first virtual interview with John Spytek, who currently serves as the assistant general manager in Tampa Bay.
Chad Brinker, who is the Titans’ president of football operations, is spearheading the effort to find a successor for Ran Carthon. Carthon was let go on Tuesday after compiling a record of 9-25 over two seasons with the team.
Reggie McKenzie, a Knoxville native and a former player at the University of Tennessee, was the first candidate interviewed on Friday morning. This marks McKenzie’s second attempt at landing this position, having previously been considered for the role in 2008. With a five-year playing career in the NFL, he then ventured into coaching as a graduate assistant at his alma mater.
In 1994, McKenzie joined the Green Bay Packers, spending several years in various roles, including director of football operations, until 2011. Brinker also worked in scouting for Green Bay during the same period, serving as both a scouting assistant and pro scout.
From 2012 to 2018, McKenzie held the positions of general manager for the then-Oakland Raiders and, in recent years, has been a senior personnel executive for the Miami Dolphins.
Thomas Dimitroff, who was the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons from 2008 until his dismissal in October 2020, has an impressive history, leading the Falcons to a record of 109-88, which included six playoff appearances and a trip to the Super Bowl.
Before his time with the Falcons, Dimitroff worked as a scout for multiple teams including Kansas City, Detroit, Cleveland, and New England, where he served as director of college scouting from 2003 to 2008. He interviewed for the general manager position with the New York Jets late last month.
In January 2022, Dimitroff co-founded a football analytics firm named SumerSports, focusing on player acquisition and roster management within the NFL.
The Titans are also set to interview Catherine Hickman, who is currently the assistant general manager and vice president of football operations for the Cleveland Browns. Additionally, John Spytek has been overseeing the college and pro scouting departments for the Tampa Bay franchise since 2023. He began his career as an intern in Philadelphia in 2005, progressing to a full-time college scout the following year, and adding pro scouting responsibilities in 2007. His career includes a stint as director of college scouting in Cleveland before spending three years as a scout for Denver.
As the search continues, the Titans are exploring options to fill the critical role of general manager, hoping to bring in leadership that can help reshape the team moving forward.
