Titans’ leaked memo of (more) fired executives is another embarrassing reminder of dysfunction, and this is why fans should absolutely care
Three executives are out, a private memo leaked instantly, and the national punchlines are back. Here’s why this should matter to Titans fans.
I have plenty of friends around the NFL who love telling me the Tennessee Titans are a joke. It’s easy to kick a team that has done nothing but lose for a couple of years. Usually, I push back a bit. This was a good, winning organization not too long ago, and plenty of teams go through tough spells while they miss on some drafts or search for a quarterback.
Then, on a concerningly frequent basis, the Titans do something like they did Wednesday, and I don’t have much left to defend (nor any remaining patience).
The Titans organization parted ways with three business-side executives this week, as first reported by Jared Stillman of “banned from Titans HQ” infamy.
A private memo from Titans president Burke Nihill announcing the restructure leaked to the media in full within hours.
National voices quickly piled on, pointing out that this organization can’t stop changing things. They’re allergic to continuity, and they’re allergic to sticking by their people. And those national voices are impossible to prove wrong.
The shocking extent of this terrible look for Tennessee
One of the three people out is Erin Swartz, the person largely responsible for the Titans’ rebrand this team has spent the majority of the year selling. It’s been largely a great success, but Swartz is now gone all the same.
Here’s some important context: the Titans don’t trot anybody out to talk who isn’t the obvious person. Nihill speaks for owner Amy Adams Strunk. The general manager, the head coach, and the quarterback talk because the rules require it. We don’t really get anybody of unique interest unless it happens to make the Titans look good.
Yet, about six hours before the uniform reveal, the local media was quietly invited to Titans headquarters for a preview last spring. The two people fielding our questions were Nihill, and Swartz. They were that proud of her work. She was in the Titans pro shop just a few weeks ago walking people through the farewell Nissan Stadium merchandise and concessions plans. The team even let Nick Suss, in one of his final acts on the Titans beat for The Tennessean, sit down with her for a big feature about the rebrand that ran within the last month.
Near the bottom of this internal memo, Nihill makes sure to include a reminder of the confidentiality of this news.
It promptly landed with Jared Stillman and Kuharsky before the night was out. I’m sure the important people at Titans headquarters are scrambling to figure out where the hole in their leaky, leaky ship is this time.
Reason 1: The Titans’ house is still not clean
You might not know who these people are, and it’s the business side, not the football side. I get it, you just want this team to not suck anymore. But this is yet another reminder, a far too frequent one, that this team still hasn’t gotten its act together from the top down.
Steelers coach Mike McCarthy delivered a viral line at the podium a couple of weeks ago: “We need to clean our house. Our house is not clean.”
That’s the quote that came to mind for me when this all broke, because the Titans’ house is obviously not clean. It hasn’t been for some time. Dysfunction trickles from the top down in any organization. To be transparent, this isn’t personal. I like Burke, I like his lieutenants, and I’ve really enjoyed talking to Amy Adams Strunk this year! I find them all to be pleasant people. I’m rooting for this to be normal, and I’m frustrated that they refuse to be. Nihill is happy to talk when things are good, but when local reporters asked for him last week, he was nowhere to be found. Fans are absolutely justified in being frustrated.
Reason 2: Perception is reality
This is the more important reason, even if you never see the tangible results as a football fan. Perception is reality, and the national perception of the Titans right now is the SpongeBob meme with a thousand panicked clones of everybody’s favorite yellow sponge running around a burning office.
The Titans simply will not stop making things worse. Fact: over the last month, they’ve made Jared Stillman more relevant than he has ever been. I’m friendly with Jared, and I don’t take much of what he says too seriously. I know the Titans hate his guts, and many fans hate his guts.
Hate him all you’d like, but you can’t take this away: he’s talented, he’s smart, and he knows exactly what he is. The chaos era in Tennessee is his perfect habitat. When the Titans pulled his credential and turned him into a story, it was painfully clear he’d capitalize on it. He’s been everywhere (including Newsmax!) talking about it, and now he’s the natural destination for anyone inside the building who wants to embarrass leadership. I don’t mind that Jared is more powerful than ever. But I know the Titans do.
Now think about how NFL professionals see this. The stable, proven people you want in your building, the ones who know how to build a winner, are watching when they weigh their options around the league. How do you think the Titans look to them when this keeps happening? It’s not good! This team is shooting itself in both feet and both hands.
If you don’t want to get as animated about this as I am, that’s fine. It’s probably better for your mental health. But you should care, because it makes your team look bad, and that costs them in ways you won’t always see on a Sunday. Tennessee, please just be normal.
