Ran Carthon was hired by the Titans as the 14th general manager in franchise history on Jan. 18, 2023.
In 2024, Carthon was promoted to executive vice president/general manager. His duties expanded to include all areas that impact the football team: roster control, team activities and personnel decisions including draft and free agency acquisitions, oversight of head coach Brian Callahan and his coaching staff, scouting, sports medicine, and player engagement.
"Over the past year, Ran has impressed me and our staff with his innovative approach to roster building," said Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk upon Carthon's promotion in 2024. "Ran's exceptional reputation around the league as a talent evaluator and culture builder was a clear competitive advantage during last year's free agency and draft process, as well as our recent search for a head coach. Simply put, Ran Carthon makes the Tennessee Titans a destination for the league's top talent. By expanding his role to include full roster control and oversight of the coaching staff, our organization will now benefit more completely from Ran's unique ability to build and lead a championship-caliber football team."
In his first year with the Titans, Carthon re-worked the roster with several veteran additions who would become key starters for the team, including wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, outside linebacker Arden Key, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting and offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill in free agency. In his first draft, offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, quarterback Will Levis and running back Tyjae Spears were selected in the first three rounds, respectively. Carthon also used a trade to acquire kicker Nick Folk.
Carthon brought 15 years of scouting experience from multiple teams to Tennessee. He joined the Titans after spending six seasons (2017-22) with the San Francisco 49ers, including the last two as the team's director of player personnel.
While in San Francisco, he was the 49ers director of pro personnel for four seasons (2017-20) and then promoted to director of player personnel for the last two seasons (2021-22). In his role as director of player personnel, Carthon was responsible for evaluating the top college prospects and assisting in the construction of the pro free agent board and evaluations. He joined the 49ers when head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch took over in 2017 and played a part in the team's success, which includes three playoff appearances, two division titles and an NFC Championship in 2019. Additionally, the 49ers had nine players account for 13 total Pro Bowl selections in the last two seasons (seven selections in 2021 and six in 2022) – evidence of the talented roster the personnel staff amassed.
Before joining San Francisco, Carthon spent five seasons (2012-16) with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams as director of pro personnel. He entered the NFL scouting world as a pro scout with the Atlanta Falcons for four years (2008-11).
As a player, Carthon spent three seasons in the NFL (2004-06) primarily with the Indianapolis Colts, after entering the league as an undrafted college free agent. At the University of Florida, he tallied 1,353 career rushing yards over four seasons and was part of the Gators 2000 SEC Championship team.
Carthon was raised in an NFL family with his is dad, Maurice, having a distinguished playing and coaching career. His father played for the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts, and he coached for the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs.
Following his playing career, Carthon received his bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Florida in 2008. As a member of the Rams (2013) and 49ers (2018) he was selected to participate in the NFL Career Development Symposium at the Wharton School of Business. And in 2022, he took part in the inaugural NFL coach and front office accelerator program.
Born Arandic Kornell Carthon in February of 1981, in Osceola, Ark., he attended Key West High School in Key West, Fla.