NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have completed three consecutive days of interviews for their general manager position, focusing on potential candidates to fill the role left vacant after the dismissal of Ran Carthon. Among those interviewed recently are Jon-Eric Sullivan, an executive from the Green Bay Packers, and John Spytek, an assistant general manager with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Titans have now conducted second interviews with six candidates as they aim to find a suitable replacement for Carthon, who held the title for two seasons and recorded a disappointing 9-25 record. Leading this search is Chad Brinker, the team’s president of football operations, who initially began the process with four days of virtual meetings involving ten candidates.
In addition to the Titans, both the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets are interested in interviewing Sullivan and Spytek for their own general manager openings. Sullivan was interviewed by the Jets earlier this week, while Spytek had his initial virtual interview with the Titans on January 10.
Spytek has been with the Tampa Bay franchise since 2016 and has been responsible for overseeing both their college and professional scouting departments since 2023. He began his NFL career as an intern in Philadelphia in 2005, transitioning to a full-time college scout in 2006 before taking on additional responsibilities in professional scouting in 2007. After a stint as Cleveland’s director of college scouting, Spytek worked with the Denver Broncos as a scout before returning to Tampa Bay in a leadership role.
On the other hand, Sullivan had his interview on Monday and became the last of the ten candidates to be assessed. He has risen through the ranks with the Packers and was promoted to vice president of player personnel in 2022. Before that, he served as co-director of player personnel for four years and had a significant role as their director of college scouting. Sullivan has been with the Packers since 2004, starting as a national football scouting representative.
Chad Brinker himself began his NFL journey with the Packers, where he worked for 13 seasons before joining the Titans in February 2023. He was elevated to his current position last offseason, following his tenure overseeing the pro personnel department in Green Bay.
Brian Gutekunst, the general manager of the Packers, expressed regret over the potential loss of Sullivan but acknowledged his readiness for new challenges. He emphasized that though losing Sullivan would be bittersweet, it is also a source of pride, seeing him progress in his career.
“I can’t imagine a better candidate out there,” Gutekunst remarked. “I’m certainly very, very biased, but whoever gives him an opportunity, he’s going to do an outstanding job. He has positively influenced our organization in numerous ways and will certainly be missed. However, we have others prepared to step up if necessary. While I wish we could keep him, he is absolutely ready for this opportunity, and I am excited for him.”
