The Tennessee Titans have been busy revamping their front office in recent weeks. Owner Amy Adams Strunk made president of football operations Chad Brinker her de-facto decision maker after firing general manager Ran Carthon. Brinker then led the search for the team's next GM, ultimately making a terrific hire in Mike Borgonzi.
Borgonzi and Brinker have spoken with the media on several occasions since. They've ensured that they'll be in alignment throughout the offseason, indicating Borgonzi will select the players and build the roster, though Brinker reserves the right to interfere. If there's any doubt who's in charge, recent additions to Tennessee's front office made it clearer.
Reggie McKenzie has been hired in a senior scouting role, Ian Rapoport recently confirmed. McKenzie was among the 10 candidates Brinker identified for the GM role. He was even misreported as the leading candidate at one point, before Borgonzi's appointment.
The relationship between Brinker and McKenzie runs deep. A former Tennessee Volunteers legend with local ties, McKenzie was Green Bay's director of football operations from 2008-11, crossing professional paths with Tennesee's president. He was one of two GM candidates to know Brinker well, with the other being current Packers exec Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Brinker ultimately made the right hire, appointing the best candidate in Borgonzi. It's difficult to imagine that McKenzie would have been even considered had he not possessed a prior relationship with Brinker. Now, he's joining the front office in a different role, indicating the president, not the GM, was mostly behind this addition.
The Titans have also appointed an assistant general manager in Dave Ziegler. His relationship with Brinker and/or Borgonzi is less clear. Ziegler has never crossed direct paths with Brinker or Borgonzi, though he's loosely connected through Ron and Eliot Wolf.
Ziegler worked for the Patriots from 2013 to 2021. Eliot Wolf was a consultant in 2020-21, and is now executive vice president of player personnel. Prior to joining the Patriots, Wolf spent more than a decade (2004-2017) with the Packers, spending nearly 10 years alongside Brinker. Ziegler also spent time in the AFC West division with Borgonzi, though his connection seems stronger to Brinker through Wolf.
Perhaps none of this is shocking. Brinker has been positioned as the face-of-the-franchise and is making hires he's comfortable with. Traditionally, the general manager would be tasked with filling senior scouting and assistant GM roles, but professional history indicates Brinker, not Borgonzi, suggested these appointments.
Hopefully it's a nothing-burger. It'll become notable if another power struggle ensues in Tennessee's front office though, a common occurrence in recent seasons. Brinker is surrounded by people he knows and trusts.