Titans Part Ways with General Manager Ran Carthon

The Tennessee Titans have parted ways with general manager Ran Carthon, with president and CEO Burke Nihill citing the team's failure to improve over the past two seasons.

The Tennessee Titans have parted ways with general manager Ran Carthon after just two seasons at the helm. The decision comes on the heels of a dismal 3-14 season, which earned the Titans the number one overall pick in the upcoming draft as the NFL's worst team. Carthon's tenure as general manager was marked by significant struggles, ultimately leading to his dismissal on Tuesday.

Despite the overhaul in the front office, the Titans have opted to retain head coach Brian Callahan for another season. President of football operations Chad Brinker will oversee the search for a new general manager. Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk released a statement addressing the decision to fire Carthon, outlining the team's vision for the future and the qualities they seek in a new general manager.

Ran Carthon is out as the Titans general manager, per sources. Carthon spent two years in Tennessee with two different head coaches, and still has four years remaining on his contract.

A new Titans GM will make the No. 1 overall pick. pic.twitter.com/zoCxj26gbe

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 7, 2025

Ran Carthon's tenure as the Tennessee Titans' general manager was marked by significant struggles, leading to his dismissal after just two seasons. Carthon was hired prior to the 2023 season, and during his time at the helm, the Titans posted a dismal 3-14 record, following a 6-11 season in his first year.

One of Carthon's most notable decisions was drafting quarterback Will Levis in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, Levis' performance has been underwhelming, raising concerns that he may not live up to expectations. 

Additionally, Carthon's offseason spending spree, primarily focused on bolstering the offense, failed to yield the desired results. Notable free agent signings included wide receiver Calvin Ridley and running back Tony Pollard, as well as defensive players like cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie, and defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day. While Joseph-Day had a solid season, earning the eighth-best run defensive grade (77.9) among defensive tackles, the overall impact of these signings was disappointing.

Titans president and CEO Burke Nihill shed light on the decision to fire Carthon, citing the team's lack of progress over the past two seasons. “We just haven't improved this football team for the last couple of years,” Nihill said. “We've won nine of the 34 games we've played over the past two seasons, and as much as the record was concerning to Amy as it was to all of our fans, her assessment was also that we're not on course to get where we need to go moving forward. As difficult as these decisions are, she believed it was the right one.”

Titans part ways with general manager Ran Carthon

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) January 7, 2025

“Speaking of a change of the general manager specifically, Ran was hired into a very different job description than the one that exists today. Ran was hired for a general manager position that was very specific to the circumstances at the time, and the forecasting was the general manager would be able to partner very closely with the head coach, the existing head coach, and as the circumstances exists today, the general manager position is different. And so, what Chad, who is leading the search, will be looking for is a very different skill set for a very different job description.”