by Jim Wyatt
The Titans have officially hired Ran Carthon as the team’s new general manager.
Carthon spent two seasons as director of player personnel with the 49ers after serving five seasons as the director of pro personnel in San Francisco.
Carthon was one of seven candidates to interview for the position with the Titans.
“We are excited to add Ran to our organization as our new general manager,” Titans Controlling Owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. “He brings a variety of valuable experiences to our team, as a former player and a successful personnel executive for multiple teams. I was impressed with his natural leadership qualities and his ability to connect with people. With talent evaluation being critical to this role, the roster they have built in San Francisco stands out. He played an important role there constructing one of our league’s best teams.”
According to the 49ers, Carthon was responsible for evaluating the top college prospects while assisting in the construction of the pro free agency board and evaluations in San Francisco. He also worked with the football administration staff with player market analysis and unrestricted free agency strategy.
Carthon joined the 49ers after spending five seasons (2012-16) as the director of pro personnel with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams.
Carthon also spent four seasons (2008-11) as a pro scout with the Atlanta Falcons.
Prior to his time in Atlanta, Carthon had a three-year playing career in the NFL after playing in college at the University of Florida. He broke into the league as an undrafted rookie with the Indianapolis Colts in 2004 and played with the club through the 2006 campaign.
While playing at Florida (1999-2003), Carthon competed in five bowl games and was part of the Gators 2000 SEC Championship team.
Carthon’s father, Maurice, played in the NFL with the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts.
The hiring of Carthon capped a busy and important period that began back on December 6, when Strunk made the decision to part ways with general manager Jon Robinson, who was hired prior to the 2016 season.
After candidates were identified, Strunk led the process of finding Robinson’s replacement. The team interviewed seven candidates, including personnel evaluators across the NFL, before narrowing the search to a handful of candidates, and second interviews were conducted.
Strunk said a committee including herself; Kenneth S. Adams IV from the ownership group; President/CEO Burke Nihill; Senior Vice President of Business Affairs/Chief Legal Officer Adolpho Birch III; and Senior Vice President/General Counsel/Chief of Staff Dan Werly would be involved in the interviews.
Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel also joined the process before Carthon was hired.
“We want someone who is an exceptional talent evaluator, exceptional at roster building, and someone who is an excellent decision-maker,” Strunk said in an interview with <TennesseeTitans.com> at the start of the process. “I also want someone who is a collaborator, someone who is able to find and build consensus to get to the best answers for the team, someone who is open to innovation and evaluating talent beyond the traditional avenues. Just really a talented person in all areas. But more than anything I want someone that can collaborate. That is super important to me—being able to find this person who can collaborate so we’re all working together, rowing the same direction.
“I am excited about the process, and I am excited about finding the right person. I think this is going to be a great reset for us going forward, a chance to bring in new ideas—a new way of doing things.”
