Titans name top Niners exec Carthon as new GM

Last updated: 2023/01/18 at 9:28 PM

BigP Published January 18, 2023

6:21 PM ET

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- Covered Eagles for USA Today
- Covered the Ravens for Baltimore Times
- Played college football at Cheyney University

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Titans have hired Ran Carthon, the San Francisco 49ers director of player personnel, as their new general manager.

The Titans announced the hiring Wednesday. Carthon interviewed for the job Friday with a panel of Titans executives, including controlling owner Amy Adams-Strunk. He brings 15 years of experience to the Titans.

“We are excited to add Ran to our organization as our new general manager,” Adams-Strunk said in a statement released by the team. “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.”

During his tenure in San Francisco, Carthon served as the director of pro personnel for five seasons with the 49ers before being elevated to director of player personnel two seasons ago. The 49ers went to the Super Bowl and played in two NFC Championship Games over that span.

Carthon, 41, joined the 49ers after spending five seasons (2012 to 2016) as the director of pro personnel with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. Carthon also spent four seasons (2008 to 2011) as a pro scout with the Atlanta Falcons. He broke into the league as an undrafted rookie with the Indianapolis Colts in 2004 and played with the club through the 2006 campaign.

The 49ers will receive compensatory third-round selections in the next two drafts as part of Rooney Rule incentives for teams to develop minority head coach and GM candidates.

The Titans fired general manager Jon Robinson in November citing disappointment with the general direction of the roster as a reason, Carthon will be tasked with turning things around for a Titans team that finished the season on a seven-game losing streak, leading to a 7-10 record.

Carthon is the son of two-time Super Bowl champ and former New York Giants running back Maurice Carthon, who also spent time as an NFL offensive coordinator.

Carthon’s hiring comes a day after Titans director of player personnel Monti Ossenfort was hired as the Arizona Cardinals‘ new general manager. Ossenfort also interviewed for the Titans’ GM job.