Titans Terminate GM Ran Carthon Over ‘Impossible to Ignore’ Results

Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) catches a pass for a touchdown as Tennessee Titans cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (13) defends during the first half of an NFL football game in in Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 5, 2025. John Amis/AP Photo

Black Monday in the NFL extended to Tuesday as the Tennessee Titans parted ways with general manager Ran Carthon.

“I’ve loved the time I’ve spent with Ran,” Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement on Tuesday. “He’s a talented football mind, a great man, and friend to everyone along his path.”

Strunk then said, “It’s impossible to ignore that our football team hasn’t improved over the past two years.”

Carthon took the job in 2023 after six years on the San Francisco 49ers front office staff. He couldn’t get the Titans turned around in two years, which included a regression from a 6–11 regular season in 2023 to a 3–14 campaign in 2024.

Tennessee also slid amid a transition to quarterback Will Levis via the NFL Draft in 2023 and significant free agent investments in 2024. That included running back Tony Pollard, who had 1,079 yards rushing and five touchdowns, despite the Titans’ offensive struggles.

Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker explained how it’s time for a change in vision amid the recent general manager vacancy. The Titans will keep head coach Brian Callahan for a second season as the team is a year removed from the firing of Mike Vrabel, who had a 54–45 record in six seasons with the team.

“This organization, it’s had success,” Brinker said via the Titans website on Tuesday. “Obviously we just haven’t been good enough the last couple of years. I think it’s important that we’re disciplined in how we make our decisions moving forward.

“Like, we don’t stray from our core principles and what we believe in. ... And that’s sometimes hard to do.”

Brinker will serve as the general manager until a new hire is made. The Titans notably have the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, which could consist of selecting a quarterback amid Levis’s subpar play.

“There’s a lot of pressure to win now. But if we truly want to be one of those elite franchises in the National Football League, I firmly believe this is the path that we need to follow,” Brinker said. “And, over time, we have to have a focused, methodical approach, where we are measuring our success by first downs, and not touchdowns.

“Touchdowns are going to come. Let’s get on base. You don’t have to swing for the fences, but the home runs will happen, they are going to happen. This philosophy, this vision, it works.”