NASHVILLE, Tenn.-After a 3-14 season, the Tennessee Titans decided some things needed to change in hopes of becoming a winning organization. As a result, Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker led the search for the franchise’s general manager after parting ways with Ran Carthon earlier this month after two years on the job.
The Titans’ extensive network initially included 10 virtual interviews before narrowing down to six in-person meetings. They finally landed on Mike Borgonzi, who had his introductory press conference on Wednesday.
Borgonzi served the previous 16 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, including the last four years as their assistant general manager after being promoted in 2021. Before that, he served three seasons as the Chiefs’ director of football operations and a stint as player personnel director in 2017.
Kansas City hired Borgonzi as its college scouting manager in 2009. He then served as manager of football operations in 2010, then Scouts of Pro Personnel from 2011 to 2012. Borgonzi spent 2013 and 2014 as assistant director of pro scouting before becoming coincident director. of Player Personnel from 2015 to 2016.
Prior to joining the Chiefs, Borgonzi was the assistant recruiting coordinator at Boston College (2007-2008). Boston College played in the ACC Championship twice and won the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl while Borgonzi was there.
While in Kansas City, Borgonzi had the opportunity to learn from former Chiefs general manager John Dorsey, who played linebacker for the Green Bay Packers from 1984 to 1989. Dorsey served in various roles in the Packers’ personnel department from 1991 to 1998 and 2000 to 2011.
“I was lucky to be part of a winning culture that [Reid] Instilled every day,” Borgonzi said of his time in Kansas City.
Reid broke into the NFL as an assistant offensive line coach for the Packers in 1992. Do you notice a pattern developing?
Borgonzi’s familiarity with the Packers’ way of doing things was one of the key drawing points for Brinker, who started as a Green Bay Scouting intern in 2009.
“Mike learned [the Packers’] “John Dorsey’s system in Kansas City, Andy Reed was in Green Bay at the same time,” Brinker said. So when Mike and I sit down and when we talk and talk about a player… we speak the same language.”
Brinker served in a variety of roles with Green Bay’s front office before coming to Nashville in 2023. The Packers went 139-77 in that span and saw them win a Super Bowl in 2010.
The Titans’ new order of operations was launched from Brinker’s Tuteleage with the Packers.
“It’s the draft, develop, retain, vision philosophy that requires patience, discipline, thought and action,” Brinker told ESPN. “It’s been proven. It’s all I believe. It’s what I grew up with in this business. That’s all I know.”
Brinker met with controlling owner Amy Adams-Strunk shortly after the season and suggested bringing in a top talent evaluator capable of building a winning roster. The solution was to bring in Borgonzi, who will need to hit the ground running with the free agency period that officially begins on March 12.
The Titans will have an eye on free agents, but according to Brinker, the draft is where they will especially look to execute their plan.
“The foundation of our roster will be built through the draft, and we will be selective in free agency,” Brinker said.
Titans coach Brian Callahan saw a significant influx of young talent when he was the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2020 draft. The Bengals used the top pick on Joe Burrow, who became their quarterback of franchise. Cincinnati also added play-by-play wide receiver in the second round and inside linebacker Logan Wilson in the third. Wilson posted at least 100 tackles in four of the last five seasons.
“Not only do you get the first overall pick, you also get the first pick in the rounds after that,” Callahan said. “You have a chance to make your team better. I’ve seen it done. I’ve been a part of it.”
It will be a little harder for Callahan to see a repeat of his draft success this time around. The Titans as of now only have two picks (No. 1 and No. 35) in the Top 100 in this year’s draft. Their third-round pick this year was dealt to the Chiefs along with a trade of 2024 seventh-round picks last year to acquire cornerback L’ARARIUS SNED.
“I would love to have 30 picks in the next three years and 12 of those picks come from the Top 100,” Brinker said.
Given Brinker’s desire to acquire more top-100 picks, Borgonzi will be charged with filling the void as they only have eight top-100 picks over the next three years.
The new general manager must get in sync with Callahan to point the Titans in the right direction. Adams-Strunk has shown that she will take action if the desired results are not achieved. He has parted ways with a head coach or general manager in each of the last three seasons. The streak began when general manager Jon Robinson was fired in December 2022, followed by coach Mike Vrabel being let go last January and Carthon being let go two weeks ago.
“It starts with being 3-14 as a football team and winning nine games in the last 34,” Titans president and CEO Burke Nihill told ESPN. “The assessment Amy has made is to go from a three-win team to a championship football team, we need to re-evaluate the experience set and skill set of the general manager position.”
The Titans envision a leadership team that is in “alignment from coaching to scouting to ownership.” The general manager will supervise the staff and coaching staff. You will need to establish free agency and draft strategy by integrating training into the overall process.
“My vision as a team builder is to draft and develop,” Borgonzi said. “We want to build a base of homegrown talent and reward those players who meet our standards.”
Even though the general manager will have to answer to Brinker, the franchise will lean on him to play a major role in their rise from the bottom of the league.
“We’re hiring Mike to do that job,” Brinker said. “I’m trying to hire the best general manager I can find to build this roster, and I want to build it with him.”