{"id":284515,"date":"2026-05-26T14:45:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T18:45:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=284515"},"modified":"2026-05-26T14:20:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T18:20:02","slug":"titans-front-office-refreshed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/05\/26\/titans-front-office-refreshed\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Tennessee Titans Front Office Refreshed Under Second Year GM"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Tennessee&#8217;s 2026 offseason roar has dulled to a crawl as the calendar crosses into June with OTAs in the books. The Titans&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennesseetitans.com\/news\/titans-announce-one-recent-hire-and-17-promotions-on-football-staff\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">front office<\/a> refreshed for a second shock earlier in the offseason with the departure of a key executive whose role has been since filled. However, there have been changes to Mike Borgonzi&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/06\/10\/tennessee-titans-front-office-taking-shape-under-new-gm\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">inaugural staff<\/a>, with several internal promotions.\u00a0 No department deemed itself safe within Tennessee&#8217;s sphere of influence, as the media changed as well. What were the changes, and who are these people in the front office and beyond?<\/p>\n<h2>2026 Tennessee Titans Front Office Refreshed Under Second-Year General Manager<\/h2>\n<h3>The Big One<\/h3>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Dave Gardi will report to GM Mike Borgonzi and oversee:<br \/>Football Administration, Football Strategy and Analytics, Football Research, Football Information Systems, Video, Equipment, Team Operations, and Security. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/B9xSJurqP7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/B9xSJurqP7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RapSheet\/status\/2057219083200770210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">May 20, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Gardi is a big-time hire by the organization after the former President of Football Operations, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/04\/29\/tennessee-titans-front-office-remodels-again-with-shock-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Chad Brinker<\/a>, resigned to pursue a scouting role. The Titans&#8217; front office refreshed itself in a major way earlier in the offseason, with the reporting structure <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/01\/05\/tennessee-titans-provide-clarity-in-front-office-restructuring\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">fundamentally changed<\/a>. Borgonzi has sole control over the roster, while Gardi will oversee the rest of the day-to-day operations. Critically, the new EVP will report to Borgonzi rather than directly to Amy Adams Strunk. He holds a BA in Political Science from Brown and a JD from Hofstra.<\/p>\n<p>Gardi has two decades of experience with the league office, which will be an advantage for the Titans. He shares alum connections with Borgonzi, having played quarterback for Brown University (though not at the same time as the GM). Also, if the Karate Kid franchise reboots with another offshoot series again, he can step in as a Ralph Macchio stunt double in his spare time. The move allows for a more structured chain of command, rather than two competing voices for the owner to deal with.<\/p>\n<h3>Department Heads<\/h3>\n<p>It appears the Pro Personnel department has been folded into the Player Personnel department with the departure of former DProP boss Kevin Turks. The Player Personnel directorship is held by Vice President Dan Saganey, with DPP Jon Salge reporting to him. Kristen Van Iderstine is the new Player Personnel Coordinator. She began her career with the Chiefs, crossing over with Borgonzi within the scouting department. KVI is a well-accomplished individual with a BS from Delaware, an MS from Miami, and is pursuing an MLS at Arizona State. She previously served as Executive Assistant to the GM.<\/p>\n<h4>Mike Boni &#8211; Director of College Scouting<\/h4>\n<p>The new Director of College Scouting for the Titans previously served as an assistant in the college scouting department. He earned his elevation in title with an <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/04\/26\/tennessee-titans-2025-nfl-draft-grades\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">outstanding draft class<\/a> that featured several contributors last season. Before his promotion to ADCS last season, he served as the Titans&#8217; national scout for five seasons. Interestingly, Boni was promoted to his new position over another longtime Tennessee scout and ADCS, Dale Thompson. Could it precipitate Thompson&#8217;s move away from the organization? Boni assumes the role and responsibilities after Jon Salge, the current DPP, assisted with the scouting department last season. The Titans&#8217; front office refreshed with this promotion, for sure.<\/p>\n<h4>Nick Hardesty &#8211; Director of Team Operations<\/h4>\n<p>Hardesty rejoined the Titans after serving in various roles within the University of Tennessee football operations department. He began in Nashville as a Football Operations Assistant in 2017 before earning a B.A. from Tennessee in 2018. The new Director of Team Operations also holds a Master of Science degree in Recreation and Sports Management from the institution. He then returned to the Titans as a Team Operations assistant in 2021, where he remained until his promotion.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Shane Normandeau &#8211; Director of Pro Scouting<\/h4>\n<p>Normandeau began his NFL career with the <span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/colts\/\" target=\"_self\">Indianapolis Colts <\/a><\/span>in 2020 as a Football Ops intern before joining the <span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/browns\/\" target=\"_self\">Cleveland Browns <\/a><\/span>as a Scouting Assistant that same offseason. He previously served as Cleveland&#8217;s Football Ops Coordinator for two seasons, so there&#8217;s some crossover appeal potential within Hardesty&#8217;s department. The new Director left the Browns for a Pro Scouting job with the Vikings for two seasons. It will be interesting to see what kind of role he&#8217;ll have going forward after a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/03\/18\/tennessee-titans-offseason-spending-spree-rings-in-new-theme\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">large free agent outlay<\/a> in 2026.<\/p>\n<h4>Lauren Silvio &#8211; Director of Performance Nutrition<\/h4>\n<p>Silvio was promoted to her current title in the Titans&#8217; front office refreshed look after serving as the team&#8217;s Nutrition Coordinator for four seasons. She holds numerous dietitian-related degrees, including an MS in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology from LSU. The new Director earned her BS degree at the University of Alabama in 2013. Before she arrived in Nashville, she served as the Director of Sports Nutrition at Auburn, which is interesting, given the hotly contested Iron Bowl rivalry.<\/p>\n<p>She held the title of Sports Dietitian at LSU before heading to the Plains in 2016. Tennessee was in the news recently for nutrition, as head coach <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/01\/20\/report-tennessee-titans-make-decision-on-new-head-coach\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Robert Saleh<\/a> mentioned that seed oils were removed from the facility. Lauren Antle will serve as her understudy with a promotion to Performance Dietitian.<\/p>\n<h3>Scouting Promotions<\/h3>\n<h4>Patrick Woo &#8211; Manager of College\/Pro Scouting<\/h4>\n<p>Woo has climbed the ranks within the Titans&#8217; organization since beginning his career in 2018, earning a promotion to College Scouting Coordinator in 2019. He previously served as the Senior Bowl&#8217;s Scouting Coordinator before joining the Titans in 2018. He&#8217;s had an impressive rise up the ranks and is now a manager overseeing all pro and college scouting for the franchise. It&#8217;ll be a matter of time before his name is mentioned for GM and AGM jobs throughout the league.<\/p>\n<h4>Alex Kline &#8211; Pro Scout<\/h4>\n<p>Kline joined the Titans last season as a Scouting Assistant after his previous DPP role with the Pitt Panthers. He maintained ties to Assistant GM Dave Ziegler, as both men are John Carroll alums. Interestingly, the John Carroll connection could&#8217;ve been used to recruit 2026 UDFA receiver Tyren Montgomery into signing with the Titans. Montgomery was a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2026\/05\/09\/6-titans-udfa-prediction\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">hot commodity<\/a> with several UDFA options on the table after a standout offseason process. Ziegler has been brought up in the ongoing <span><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/vikings\/\" target=\"_self\">Minnesota Vikings<\/a><\/span><span>\u00a0<\/span>GM search, so he could take Kline with him in a bigger role if hired. The scouting department remained largely static heading into year three of the Borgonzi regime. Kline joins holdover Keenan Agnew in the pro scouting area.<\/p>\n<h4>Geoffery Leins &#8211; Area Scout<\/h4>\n<p>Leins served as a scouting assistant alongside Kline last season and earned the promotion to a full-time scout. Given his background in the Research Triangle area, it&#8217;s likely his role will be in the Carolinas, if not farther north. There is a chance that he&#8217;s assigned to the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/category\/bigten\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Big Ten footprint<\/a> because of his connections to UCLA. He played college football for Campbell University. However, his position change within the Titans&#8217; front office refreshed hierarchy, which is a good sign for his career prospects.<\/p>\n<h4>Wes Slay &#8211; National Scout<\/h4>\n<p>Slay has steadily climbed the ranks as a scout, earning his way from Area Scout to his current role. He began with the Titans in 2014 after working for the University of Alabama, where he holds a BS degree in Exercise and Sports Science. The new National Scout truly pulled himself up by the bootstraps, attending a nearby junior college before transferring to Alabama as a college student. He&#8217;s entering his 13th season with the franchise and has control over the Titans&#8217; national scouting efforts, as the Titans front office refreshed its scouting department in 2026.<\/p>\n<h3>Football Administration<\/h3>\n<h4>Nicole Kesten &#8211; Chief of Staff<\/h4>\n<p>Kesten received the promotion to Chief of Staff after the next person on this list left the role to accept a promotion within the department. She possesses a background in the medical industry before joining the Titans in 2024, according to her LinkedIn profile. Kesten holds degrees from Excelsior University (BS and MS) and an MBA from Northwestern.<\/p>\n<h4>Bryce Wasserman &#8211; Football Counsel \/ Head of Football Research<\/h4>\n<p>Wasserman, mooted to be a potential successor to Brinker by <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PaulKuharskyNFL\/status\/2049288242944422317?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paul Kuharsky<\/a>, but a different position opened up for him. He&#8217;ll likely float between the legal department, where he was previously, and analytics. Wasserman is the son-in-law of Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk. He earned a JD from Miami and an MBA from Monmouth while being a professional athlete. Yes, the family ties help him, but he&#8217;s had to earn his way up the ranks instead of being in the ownership suite from the jump.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Titans front office refreshed itself for Mike Borgonzi&#8217;s second season in charge. What are the changes in Nashville? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4788,"featured_media":265659,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6431,11],"tags":[34814,34887,9578,3191,34888],"class_list":["post-284515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-teams","category-titans","tag-chad-brinker","tag-dave-gardi","tag-mike-borgonzi","tag-robert-saleh","tag-shane-normandeau"],"modified_by":"Sue Levine","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4788"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284515"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":284991,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284515\/revisions\/284991"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265659"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=284515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=284515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}