NEW ORLEANS – When the Titans began interviewing candidates for their vacant general manager position last month, Thomas Dimitroff was immediately interested.
Dimitroff, who built the Atlanta Falcons team that made it to Super Bowl LI, ended up being one of 10 candidates to interview for the job.
While the Titans ultimately hired Mike Borgonzi to replace Ran Carthon, Dimitroff said he was impressed with the hiring process, led by President of Football Operations Chad Brinker, while endorsing Borgonzi and two others eventually hired by the Titans – Dave Ziegler and Reggie McKenzie.
From Super Bowl LIX Radio Row on Monday, Dimitroff said he's confident the Titans can turn things around with key personnel hires in place.
"Look, I'm a big fan of Chad Brinker," Dimitroff said. "I think he's coming to the table as a guy who has a strong understanding of football at multiple levels, given his time in Green Bay, given his time not only on the evaluation side, but also his time in cap and contract, and cap management, which is an important part of that role as a president. So, I like him a lot. I thought he was very thought out with the questions he asked (in the interview), and how he approached everything. We had a couple of great conversations around the interview as well. I think he is a guy who is driven, and he's a guy who knows how it is to roll up his sleeves.
"And, I'm a huge fan of that team they're putting together, with Reggie McKenzie and Dave Ziegler. That's a really good staff that Chad Brinker is ultimately putting together, and that's what this organization in Tennessee needs."
Borgonzi, hired last month, arrived in Tennessee with 16 years of experience with the Kansas City Chiefs. For the last four seasons, he served as Kansas City's Assistant General Manager.
Dimitroff served as the General Manager of the Atlanta Falcons from 2008 to 2020. Prior to joining the Falcons in 2008, Dimitroff was the Patriots' director of college scouting from 2003-07. A 28-year veteran of the NFL, Dimitroff was recognized as NFL Executive of the Year in 2008 and in 2010.
Dimitroff expressed confidence in the new hires in Tennessee, from Borgonzi to Ziegler to McKenzie. Ziegler was hired as Assistant General Manager and McKenzie as Vice President/Football Advisor.
"I know them all quite well in their own way," Dimitroff said. "Mike Borgonzi is a strong football man, been around it, he has a really good eye. I know people that worked with him a lot at Kansas City, and I know people like Scott Pioli who is really close to him and is a huge endorser of Mike. I like Mike, and he has a tough enough edge and understanding about football that is important. He is going to give his information, he is going to feel strongly about it. He is not an easily swayed guy, so when he is going to the table for players and talking to Chad Brinker, in my mind he is going to feel very strongly about what he's seen and the time that he spent looking at the players, and I think that is a really important thing for an organization that just signed a first-time GM. There are times when you hire first-time GMs, they are kind of all over the place trying to keep their head above water – I was there, believe me, I know how that was.
"I think Mike comes in with a lot of confidence where he is going to be strong, feet strong on the ground, and he is going to help develop a good situation there."
Coming off a 3-14 season, the Titans have work to do to turn things around.
In his own job interview with the Titans, Dimitroff presented his plan on how he would've gone about doing things if hired.
In time, Dimitroff believes the Titans can turn into a consistent winner again, as long as they make good decisions in free agency and the NFL Draft.
The right people are in place to make it happen, Dimitroff said.
"You are always going to start with the quarterback, and you are going to talk about what is around the quarterback," Dimitroff said. "So, quarterback and o-line should be a real focus spot for this organization … and you have to have top-notch tight ends. … Anyone who follows the team knows that right side of the offensive line, there needs to be some focus on pulling that o-line together.
"Look, I think there is no doubt they can get things back on track. And, I know they're going to have a really strong process in Tennessee. Think about it, Mike Borgonzi comes from being around Brett Veach (GM in Kansas City), who is one of the best general managers out there, along with Howie Roseman (of the Eagles) – you have two of the very best general managers in the league right now in the Super Bowl, and rightly so. So, he's been a part of that, and Chad being a part of the Packers – over the years they've had their share of ups and downs, but they've been a stout personnel, team-building element, and I think that's important.
"And with Dave Ziegler coming from the Patriots and Reggie McKenzie helping Borgonzi out, I just think you are going to come to the table with four real legitimate processes, different processes that you pull together and take the best from those processes. I think that's going to be really beneficial."
