NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans wrapped up a third straight day of interviews Thursday as part of their second round searching for a general manager, meeting in person with Green Bay Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan and Tampa Bay assistant general manager John Spytek.
The Titans now have interviewed six candidates for the second time as they look to replace Ran Carthon, who was fired last week after the franchise went 9-25 in his two seasons as general manager. Chad Brinker, the team’s president of football operations, is overseeing the search that started with four days of virtual interviews with 10 candidates.
The Raiders also want to interview both Spytek and Sullivan for their general manager opening, and the New York Jets interviewed Sullivan on Tuesday in their search for a general manager.
Spytek was among the candidates Tennessee interviewed Jan. 10 virtually that kicked off the first round and was the first candidate interviewed Thursday.
He has overseen Tampa Bay’s college and pro scouting departments since 2023. He started as an intern in Philadelphia in 2005 before becoming a full-time college scout in 2006 and adding pro scouting duties in 2007. Cleveland hired him as director of college scouting in 2010. He was a scout for Denver for three years before Tampa Bay hired him in 2016 as director of player personnel.
Sullivan was the 10th candidate interviewed Monday. He was promoted to vice president of player personnel by the Packers in 2022 after four seasons as co-director of player personnel. He was their director of college scouting in 2016-17. The son of longtime NFL and college coach Jerry Sullivan started as Green Bay’s national football scouting rep in 2004 after interning with the team during the Packers’ 2003 training camp.
Brinker started in the NFL with Green Bay as a scouting assistant, spending 13 seasons there before Tennessee hired him in February 2023. He was promoted to his current title last offseason. Before leaving the Packers, Brinker ran the pro personnel department as executive of personnel/football administration.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Thursday they will miss Sullivan, expecting him to be hired by another NFL team any time now. Gutekunst called the prospect of losing Sullivan bittersweet and a point of pride with the opportunity to move on but that Sullivan is absolutely ready.
“I can’t imagine a better candidate out there," Gutekunst said. "I’m certainly very, very biased but, whoever gives him an opportunity, he’s going to do an outstanding job. He’s really impacted our organization in so many different ways. He’ll be missed but we also have a lot of guys that I think are ready to move into that space if that’s the case. Selfishly, I’d like him back, but I think he’s absolutely 100 percent ready for this opportunity, and I’m excited for him.”
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AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee in Wisconsin contributed to this report.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Teresa M. Walker, The Associated Press
