Titans VP & COO Reinfeldt Ousted; Adams Holding Grudge Over Manning Pursuit?

Titans Senior Exec VP & COO Mike Reinfeldt on Monday was "fired from his position as the team's top Nashville-based executive" after one year in the position, according to Jim Wyatt of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. Reinfeldt "oversaw both the business and football aspects” of the organization, keeping Titans Owner Bud Adams "apprised of all development on both sides.” Adams said, "I think we'd be better off without him. I don't think he was getting the job done." Wyatt reported Titans Exec VP & GM Ruston Webster is "expected to continue to have the biggest say in personnel matters." This was Webster's "first season as Titans GM after two seasons as vice president of player personnel." Reinfeldt "played for the Houston Oilers from 1976-83 and had front office experience with the Raiders, Packers and Seahawks." He was Titans GM from '07-11 and was promoted to his most recent position "when Webster was named GM." Reinfeldt said, "I certainly understand and share in the frustration of Mr. Adams and all Titans fans, there are a great deal of good people here and patience is probably prudent at this point" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 1/1).

PEYTON'S PLACE? Wyatt in a separate piece wrote one of the biggest reasons Reinfeldt "is out the door" is because "Adams felt like Reinfeldt didn’t act fast enough -- or at all -- when the owner told him he wanted the Titans in the Peyton Manning chase last spring." Adams has "held it against Reinfeldt ever since." In the days leading up to Adams "going public with his interest in Manning, he repeatedly told Reinfeldt he wanted the Titans to get in the mix." Adams "felt like Reinfeldt didn't take him seriously enough." One thing "everyone always says about Adams is you don't want to get on his bad side" (TENNESSEAN.com, 1/1). ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky wrote, "I certainly believe the Titans front office and coaching staff were reluctant to follow their boss' directive." On Sunday and Monday, coach Mike Munchak "even took a shot at the Adams' infatuation with Manning." Munchak said that the Titans "didn't do well in free agency last year because much of the class disappeared while the plan was set aside for focus on Manning." Kuharsky: "Once again Adams has failed to put the appropriate share of the blame on the right person: himself" (ESPN.com, 1/1).