Titans general manager search: Cardinals hire Monti Ossenfort as GM

The Arizona Cardinals are hiring Tennessee Titans Director of Player Personnel Monti Ossenfort to be their next general manager, according to a report from Ian Rapoport.

Ossenfort replaces Steve Keim, who stepped down at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. Ossenfort interviewed for Arizona’s opening last week. Ossenfort had also interviewed for the Titans’ opening as an in-house option, though he was not believed to be a leading candidate. The Titans are now the lone NFL team with a G.M. opening.

Ossenfort’s hiring in Arizona means the Titans are officially down to six G.M. candidates. Eight were initially discovered, but this obviously eliminates Ossenfort, and Adam Peters declined an interview request. The six remaining candidates are as follows:

Ryan Cowden, Titans in-house candidate

Ran Carthon of the San Francisco 49ers

Glenn Cook of the Cleveland Browns

Ian Cunningham of the Chicago Bears

Quentin Harris of the Arizona Cardinals

Malik Boyd of the Buffalo Bills

Harris was an in-house candidate in Arizona, too. The Cardinals were largely expected to promote from within, and Harris was a leading option. Ossenfort’s hire comes as a surprise.

Ossenfort was originally hired as Tennessee’s Director of Player Personnel in 2020 after spending more than a decade in New England with the Patriots. Ossenfort was hired by the Patriots in 2003 as a personal assistant before working his way up through the scouting ranks. Ossenfort had previously been passed over for several G.M. openings. He’s had a number of interviews throughout the years.

Stay tuned to MCM for the latest on the Titans’ G.M. search.