Music City Miracles
Are the Titans going to get scooped for their preferred GM candidate?
The Tennessee Titans have narrowed down their search for the team’s next general manager. On Tuesday, six of the initial 10 candidates were revealed to be receiving second interviews with the organization later this week, this time in person. They are Mike Borgonzi (Chiefs), Jon-Eric Sullivan (Packers), Ed Dodds (Colts), Ian Cunningham (Bears), John Spytek (Buccaneers), and Terrance Gray (Bills).
The Titans possess just one of three league-wide GM vacancies. The other two belong to the New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders. Despite the scarcity, the Titans are potentially facing competition from both franchises for three of their six finalist candidates.
Borgonzi is also a strong candidate for the Jets’ job, according to Jeremy Fowler.
And there’s also Sullivan, the Packers’ VP of player personnel. It’s worth noting Sullivan is the only candidate on Tennessee’s list to have directly crossed professional paths with Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker, who is overseeing the process to appoint Ran Carthon’s successor. He’s set to interview with the Raiders, per Ian Rapoport, and the Jets, according to Jonathan Jones. He’s the only known candidate to be interviewing for every GM vacancy in the league.
Spytek is also receiving a second interview with the Raiders, per Adam Schefter. That insinuates he’s a strong finalist for Vegas’ opening. Spytek also possesses a unique relationship with the Raiders that may give them the upper hand over Tennessee.
Spytek played college football with Tom Brady at Michigan in 1999. He later played a massive role in recruiting Brady to the Buccaneers in 2020, maintaining his position in Jason Licht’s front office through the conclusion of Brady’s playing tenure (2022), winning Super Bowl LV together.
Brady is now a minority owner of the Raiders and is clearly playing a sizable role in their offseason decision making.
Perhaps all the outside interest should make Borgonzi, Spytek, and Sullivan Tennessee’s three favorite candidates. The Titans are conducting a thorough process that has led to them identifying some quality options. If one of these three is their preferred choice, Brinker and Amy Adams Strunk should move quickly.
