Titans' Front Office Firings Can't Distract From Franchise's Broken State

The Titans making a litany of changes in the front office means very little to a fanbase that hasn't had solid ground to stand on in years.

Tennessee Titans General Manager Mike Borgonzi addresses the media at team practice Vanderbilt Health Football Center Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

How long can a rebuild be deemed a rebuild? When does a team trying to reshape things from the ground up transition from a multi-year project to something deeper than that? The Tennessee Titans haven't had a winning season since 2021. Robert Saleh is 0-4 in his first go-around.

Yesterday, it was announced that the Titans were firing three executives in an effort to overhaul the front office. These include: senior VP and chief revenue officer Adam Nuse, VP of creative Charles Jensen, and senior VP of brand marketing Erin Swartz.

The latter spearheaded Tennessee's recent aesthetic rebrand, seemingly leading the team into a new era that fans have long awaited. Now, as a result of that new era being fully implemented, Swartz has been let go alongside two of her colleagues.

We have an address from the organization regarding this sudden move that was issued to the Tennesseean:

“As the Titans prepare for the opening of our new stadium and the future of Titans football, we are making changes to how we lead the business side of the organization. We will hire an Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer to lead our revenue, marketing, and communications teams. As part of these changes, Adam Nuse, Erin Swartz, and Charles Jensen are leaving the organization. We are grateful for everything they have contributed to the Titans and wish them the best in future endeavors.”

Tennessee Titans President/CEO Burke Nihill poses on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge on May 14, 2020. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Nobody to blame for everything going wrong?

Burke Nihill has been the Titans' president and CEO since 2020. Under Nihill, the franchise has cycled through three head coaches and four general managers. Just about every level of the Titans' organization has undergone a change throughout their half-decade downward spiral.

The lone exception is, of course, Nihill himself. Is this all just a legendary streak of bad luck, or is there something to be said about the person pulling the strings for Tennessee's unending rebuild?

There may not be a direct answer, but something more has to be going south when a team is constantly recycling front office and sideline names to no avail. There's a deeply broken decision-making process in there somewhere, the blame for which can't be deferred forever.

In a leaked internal memo, Nihill tied off this news by saying: "We adapt when it's for the good of the team. I'm confident this structure sets us up to do special things together as a business and as a culture in 2027 and beyond."

Coach Saleh is still extremely early in his tenure, and GM Mike Borgonzi has helped usher in more than a few draft hits since his hiring at the beginning of last year. "The future is bright" is a common sentiment being floated around this 0-4 Titans team.

But how many times have we heard that in the past five years? More importantly, how much longer will fans accept that sentiment before it loses meaning? That is, if fans haven't reached that point already.