NASHVILLE – The Titans on Thursday interviewed in-house candidates Ryan Cowden and Monti Ossenfort for the team's general manager position.
Cowden just finished his 23rd NFL season and his seventh with the Titans. In 2018, he was promoted to Vice President of Player Personnel. He originally joined the franchise in 2016, as the Director of Player Personnel.
Cowden currently oversees all areas of the scouting department, both college and pro, including advance scouting, free agency preparation, and evaluation of players in the NFL and all other professional leagues. In addition, he assists with college scouting and preparation for the NFL Draft.
He joined the Titans after 16 years with the Carolina Panthers. In Carolina, Cowden last held the title of Assistant Director of College Scouting, a position he held for two years. Prior to that role, he served as the team's National Scout/Senior College Scout for two years (2012-14) and was a national scout from 2008-12.
Cowden originally joined the Panthers as a scouting assistant in 2000. He became an area scout in 2001 and was responsible for the southeast area from 2001-07. During his time in Carolina, the franchise won two NFC titles, five division crowns and advanced to the playoffs six times.
Ossenfort just finished his 21st season in the NFL and his third as the Titans' Director of Player Personnel in 2022.
Ossenfort joined the Titans after 15 seasons with the New England Patriots, where he served as the club's director of college scouting (2014-19), assistant director of college scouting (2011-13), national scout (2008-2010), area scout (2006-07), and personnel assistant (2003). He won four Super Bowls while with the Patriots.
Ossenfort spent three seasons with the Houston Texans as a college scout (2005), pro and college scouting assistant (2004), and as a pro personnel intern (2002). His first NFL experience came as a training camp intern for the Minnesota Vikings in 2001.
Interviews with other candidates will continue in the coming days.
Back on December 6, Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk made the decision to part ways with general manager Jon Robinson, who was hired prior to the 2016 season.
Strunk is leading the process of finding his replacement, and the plan is to interview a large number of candidates, including personnel evaluators across the NFL.
Strunk said a committee including herself, Kenneth S. Adams, IV from the ownership group, President and CEO Burke Nihill, Senior VP/Business Affairs and Chief Legal Officer Adolpho Birch III and Senior VP/General Counsel & Chief of Staff Dan Werly will be involved in the interviews.
"We want someone who is an exceptional talent evaluator, exceptional at roster building, and someone who is an excellent decision-maker," Strunk said in recent interview. "I also want someone who is a collaborator, someone who is able to find and build consensus to get to the best answers for the team, someone who is open to innovation and evaluating talent beyond the traditional avenues. Just really a talented person in all areas. But more than anything I want someone that can collaborate – that is super important to me, being able to find this person who can collaborate so we're all working together, rowing the same direction.
"I am excited about the process, and I am excited about finding the right person. I think this is going to be a great reset for us going forward, a chance to bring in new ideas, a new way of doing things."
