While 2023 NFL draft prospects are getting most of the attention and during the NFL Combine this week, Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon has received some glowing reviews himself.
Since being hired by the Titans, we’ve heard nothing but positive things about Carthon’s time in San Francisco, and really anywhere he’s been, as his former co-workers have showered him with praise.
While down the 2023 NFL Combine this week, Carthon had more former co-workers from his days with the Niners heap praise on the 42-year-old executive.
That group includes 49ers general manager John Lynch, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, San Fran’s former defensive coordinator, and Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who served as offensive coordinator before taking the head-coaching gig in South Beach.
Here’s what each had to say about Carthon.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans
“My relationship with Ran Carthon, we have a great relationship,” Ryans said. “Our families are really close. Ran is a great friend, a great mentor to me. I know Ran will be an awesome GM for the Titans because first and foremost he’s a great man.”
“Ran is very relatable, very personable,” said Ryans. “Everybody is Ran’s best friend. He can connect with anyone. He always has a big smile on his face.”
“Ran knows talent. Ran knows how to evaluate talent, and working with him, we were constantly talking about different players, who we would acquire, who we wouldn’t acquire. There were a lot of conversations over the years with Ran.”
49ers GM John Lynch
“Ran’s had a tremendous amount of experience in a variety of roles and I felt very blessed when we were able to land Ran years ago and he did a tremendous job in our pro department. And then we wanted him involved in more than just the pro department, because he was worthy of that. And we felt like that would make us better. And so, Ran got out there involved in our college process. I think Ran’s greatest quality, he’s a tremendous people person. He really gets to know people in a really authentic way. I can’t tell you how many times, ‘Hey, Ran, I need you to go find this out.’ And he’d always deliver, because people connect with Ran. When the Titans called, you always kind of have mixed feelings because you don’t want to lose someone like that, but he’s also earned the opportunity and I’m so excited for Ran and the opportunity. I was with [Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel] Vrabes today talking about how much he’s enjoying working with Ran. He’s going to do great things for the Titans and I’m really proud and excited for him.”
“Well, I think first of all, it starts, you have to be a good pairing to start with. You have to have similar values. That doesn’t mean that you agree on each and every issue, but you better have a similar outlook on how you view the game, how you build team building, how you view culture. And that’s something Kyle and I recognized in an early time, early in our process and I think it’s something we rely on all the time. We still spend a lot of time together, so I think those things are critical and I counsel Ran, just spend as much time as you can with Vrabes and if you do that, I know both of those guys enough that I really believe that they’ll have success in building the same type of collaborative deal because the more minds you have working on a task and we have so much to do that the more people you can include and have on the same page, that’s a good thing for everyone.”
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel
“Ran Carthon is somebody I’ve had several years experience in the National Football League with,” said McDaniel. “I have no doubt in my mind that he’s going to do this job as well, if not better than the last job he had. This is the type of person he is. I think the Tennessee Titans are getting a guy that’s motivated for the right reasons to do what he does best and that’s evaluate football players. I think he has great scope of what it takes for a team to win and all the different variables that are encompassed in that. I think he’s a leader of men. I think you’ll get the best out of his department.”
