Tennessee Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker is stepping down, he announced in a statement Tuesday.
Though he did not specify his immediate plans, Brinker thanked team owner Amy Adams Strunk for allowing him to “pursue other opportunities.”
Brinker joined the franchise in 2023 as assistant general manager before taking over football operations in 2024. In Brinker’s three seasons with the Titans, the team had a 12-39 record and has undertaken a rebuild headlined by quarterback Cam Ward, the Titans’ selection with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.
The Titans restructured their organizational flow chart in January, functionally demoting Brinker while allowing him to retain his title. General manager Mike Borgonzi assumed more control over the Titans’ personnel decisions, while Brinker oversaw salary-cap management and analytics. The team hired Robert Saleh as head coach the same month.
Brinker alluded to the change in responsibilities as a central factor in his decision to leave.
“Over the years, I’ve understood and embraced my role as the leader of the football strategy, but as I’ve spent less time in personnel, I have a renewed conviction that it is time to return to what I love and move towards my next chapter,” he said in his statement.
Titans President of Football Operations Chad Brinker steps down pic.twitter.com/SkLc59saep
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) April 29, 2026
Before joining the Titans, Brinker spent 14 years as a scout and personnel executive for the Green Bay Packers, with whom he won a Super Bowl in 2011. He said he was proud of his work in Tennessee but acknowledged the difficulties he faced during his tenure.
“I’m proud of the work we’ve done over the past three years — under challenging circumstances — to begin the process of getting the Titans football organization back on track, not the least of which was last year’s general manager search,” Brinker said.
“I believe the Titans have exceptional people and long-term stability at the general manager position and throughout the scouting department. While there is work to be done, I believe we’ve laid the foundation to restore the Titans to its rightful place as a sustainable, winning program.”
In what was Brinker’s final draft with the team, the Titans selected Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, Auburn edge Keldric Faulk, Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and Arkansas guard Fernando Carmona Jr. with their first four picks.
