NASHVILLE – It's been just over a month since Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk decided to make a change at general manager.
Now, the process of finding the franchise's next GM is ready to take the next step.
Interviews are expected to begin this week.
"We've been working on it for at least four weeks now," Strunk said of the process. "I'd like to have a GM as soon as possible, but we're not going to rush the process just to get someone in as quickly as possible. The way we have it planned right now is we have two rounds, and we're going to see where these interviews take us."
The Titans finished the 2022 season 7-10 as a result of Saturday night's loss to the Jaguars. It ended a streak of three straight years of making the postseason, during which time the franchise won back-to-back AFC South titles.
Back on December 6, Strunk made the decision to part ways with general manager Jon Robinson, who was hired prior to the 2016 season.
Strunk will lead the process of finding his replacement, and the plan is to interview a large number of candidates, from personnel evaluators across the NFL, to in-house candidates like current Vice President/Player Personnel Ryan Cowden and current Director of Player Personnel Monti Ossenfort.
"We've cast a wide net," Strunk said. "We're going to interview just as many people as we need to. I have a lot of people I want to interview. So, it's going to be pretty extensive."
Strunk said a committee including herself, Kenneth S. Adams, IV from the ownership group, President and CEO Burke Nihill, Senior VP/Business Affairs and Chief Legal Officer Adolpho Birch III and Senior VP/General Counsel & Chief of Staff Dan Werly will be involved in the interviews.
At some point, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel will also be a part of the process.
Strunk said the organization doesn't plan to use a search firm to identify candidates. The team will employ a consultant, who has more than 18 years of experience working with the league and teams, to assist in all aspects of the interview and candidate selection process.
"We want someone who is an exceptional talent evaluator, exceptional at roster building, and someone who is an excellent decision-maker," Strunk said. "I also want someone who is a collaborator, someone who is able to find and build consensus to get to the best answers for the team, someone who is open to innovation and evaluating talent beyond the traditional avenues. Just really a talented person in all areas. But more than anything I want someone that can collaborate – that is super important to me, being able to find this person who can collaborate so we're all working together, rowing the same direction."
Strunk said it's important for the new general manager to work hand in hand with Vrabel while building the roster.
"The GM and the head coach are going to report to me, but as an organization we expect a culture of working together," Strunk said. "I think collaboration amongst all of us is going to be important to take that next step in the goal of winning a championship. The two of them are going to report to me, but the two of them are going to be working together to get us the best team we can possibly have."
Following a regular season when the Titans fell short of their ultimate goal, Strunk is ready to get to work for 2023 and beyond. Her sights remain set on bringing a Super Bowl trophy to the city.
The process of finding the next general manager is set to move forward.
"I am excited about the process, and I am excited about finding the right person," Strunk said. "I think this is going to be a great reset for us going forward, a chance to bring in new ideas, a new way of doing things."
