Executive Chad Brinker announces exit from Tennessee Titans, setting himself up as top general manager candidate in 2027.
Another big shakeup is underway in Nashville, Tenn., as the Tennessee Titans' President of Football Operations, Chad Brinker, is stepping down.
Brinker announced he was stepping away via a statement shared by ESPN's Adam Schefter. In the statement, Brinker cited a desire to return to the personnel side of team management as a reason for his decision.
"Over the years, I've understood and embraced my role as the leader of football strategy," he wrote. "But as I've spent less time in personnel, I have a renewed conviction that it is time to return to what I love and move towards my next chapter."
For a deeper perspective on what this means for the Titans, here is the full story from Titans Roundtable writer Grant Bricker.
Brinker's departure sets up an intriguing option as future general manager positions open during and following the 2026 NFL season. He was hired as the assistant general manager for Ran Carthon, former Titans general manager in 2023 before moving into his recent role in 2024.
His time with the Titans began after a 13-year stint with the Green Bay Packers, working with one of the league's most respected front offices.
While he focused mostly on the operational and data-driven side of things with the Titans, it's clear that his passion in personnel is what he plans to chase next. During this time in Tennessee, he helped to drive renewed focus and implementation of analytics in several areas including personnel decision-making (including both coaches and players), the salary cap and more.
He played a pivotal role in the hires of general manager Mike Borgonzi, who handled the Titans' personnel decisions, and head coach Robert Saleh.
Bringing his knowledge and accomplishments back to a personnel management position should make him a very desirable option in the near future.
For teams that find themselves in search of a general manager during the 2027 offseason, Brinker will top many lists.
This departure also marks a continuation of the leadership carousel in Nashville as the Titans have had a trio of both general managers and head coaches over the last four years.