The front office carousel in Nashville is spinning again. Chad Brinker, the Tennessee Titans' president of football operations, announced Tuesday that he is leaving the organization to return to personnel work and pursue other opportunities. His exit comes just days after the 2026 NFL Draft and effectively caps three years in which the club's front office has been repeatedly restructured. Brinker said he is proud of the foundation the team has built and that his family and he are grateful for their time in Nashville.
In a statement on the team's website, Brinker said, "It has been an honor to serve as President of Football Operations," and added that he plans to return to personnel work and pursue other opportunities, according to Tennessee Titans. The team's release credited Brinker with reshaping the analytics department and helping steer offseason strategies for free agency and the draft.
Brinker joined the Titans as assistant general manager in 2023 and was promoted to president of football operations in 2024, local reporting shows. NewsChannel 5 (WTVF) and other outlets noted that his move came amid a broader reshuffle of roles at the top of the club's personnel department. Fans and analysts have debated how the club's unusual power structure affected roster decisions and coaching hires over the last two seasons.
He led the GM search
As president of football operations, Brinker provided executive leadership for the entire football staff and took a lead role in the club's personnel strategy. It was Brinker who led the search that resulted in Mike Borgonzi's January 2025 hire as general manager, according to the team's statement (Tennessee Titans). Team materials credited Brinker with building a more data-driven operations unit while overseeing scouting and contract strategy.
Owner offers support
Controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk thanked Brinker for his work and said, "While it is difficult to lose him, I understand his decision and will do whatever I can to support him," according to NewsChannel 5 (WTVF). The statement emphasized gratitude for Brinker and his family and noted the franchise will continue to build under its existing personnel structure.
What comes next for the roster and front office
Brinker's departure raises questions about who will take over responsibilities for analytics, cap strategy and long-range planning inside the building. The club has already adjusted its front-office architecture this winter to give GM Mike Borgonzi broader control over roster and coaching decisions, as outlined in coverage of the team's restructured front office. Local and national outlets also noted the timing, since Brinker stepped away just after the NFL Draft, which could limit near-term disruption to rookie integration and offseason plans, per Sportsnet.
Before joining Tennessee, Brinker spent 13 years with the Green Bay Packers working in pro personnel and football administration, according to reporting by The Tennessean via AOL. For the Titans, Brinker's exit closes a short, eventful chapter while the club moves forward under a general manager who has steadily taken on greater responsibility.
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