NASHVILLE – Titans Assistant Director of Pro Scouting Kevin Turks has been invited to participate in the NFL's Front Office & General Manager Accelerator.
The program is a continuation of the NFL's efforts to strengthen the pipeline of diverse candidates across all levels of the league. The NFL will host its Front Office & General Manager Accelerator Program next week, from December 11-13, at the league meeting in Dallas, Texas.
Turks initially joined the Titans as a pro scout back in 2015, and he was promoted to Assistant Director of Pro Personnel back in 2018.
Prior to joining the Titans, Turks served as Director of Pro Personnel with the Chicago Bears, who he previously served as a scout with the team. Turks went to college at North Carolina State University.
This marks the fourth time the NFL has put on the Accelerator event since it was launched in 2022, and it follows the Coach Accelerator that was held May 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Last year, then 49ers Director of Player Personnel Ran Carthon was selected to participate in the NFL's inaugural Coach and Front Office Accelerator Program. He was named General Manager of the Titans last January.
Speaking at the NFL Combine back in February, Carthon said he first met controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk at the program last year.
"The accelerator actually got me in the room with owners who I otherwise wouldn't have had the opportunity to," Carthon said at the NFL Combine. "The only owner that you have constant contact with is the one that owns the organization that you work for.
"The accelerator got me in the room with Miss Amy. I don't know where else I would've possibly met Miss Amy. But, again, it's more than just the accelerator program. It's the people participating in it because everybody can show up. But you have to be intentional when you show up.
"I think when the Titans got there, I guess it was in December, they were intentional. Granted, it was a long line to talk to them because it was a job that was open and everybody wanted to put their best foot forward. But I appreciate the fact that they were intentional. And, again, if you look at their interview list that they interviewed in the process and who their finalists were, the good majority of those people were at the accelerator program."
Per the NFL, in a refresh to the selection process, clubs were asked to nominate individuals internal and external to their organizations, which were then vetted by an NFL selection committee.
A total of 42 highly qualified candidates of diverse backgrounds, across player personnel, football operations and assistant general manager disciplines were selected for the opportunity to build relationships with club owners and executives ahead of the hiring cycle.
In addition to networking, candidates will participate in a range of personal and professional development programming, including practice interviews led by former general managers and leadership sessions from outside experts. For the first time, personal development workshops, have been included to focus on candidates overall wellness and mental preparedness when applying for roles.
To date, the program has successfully contributed to more diverse candidates being interviewed for open positions, which has translated to recent front office hires.
"The NFL is committed to improving diversity throughout the league, and a large part of that is providing leadership opportunities to diverse candidates," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "The Accelerator Program provides our clubs and owners an opportunity to connect directly with some of the finest candidates in the league who they may not know. Our intent is that these efforts translate into more diversity in leadership roles across the League."
