When the Vikings hired Nolan Teasley late last month, the general manager carousel came to a stop once again. Minnesota has since filled out its assistant GM tier, joining Seattle — which lost Teasley from its AGM post — in doing so this month. The Vikings’ GM search — which consisted of interim GM Rob Brzezinski and assistant GMs from other teams — reminded that the AGM post serves as the top launching pad to the GM ranks.
While front office bosses are fairly well-known presences — particularly to the PFR audience — the assistant GM level consists of less recognizable figures. But these staffers sit as top front office lieutenants, many of whom have interviewed for GM jobs already. Others will do so in the future. Here are the teams that have assigned the assistant general manager title to one or more staffers:
Arizona Cardinals
- Dave Sears (hired in 2023)
Atlanta Falcons
- Jeff Scott (hired in 2026)
Buffalo Bills
- Terrance Gray (hired in 2017, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Chicago Bears
- Jeff King (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2026)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Trey Brown (hired in 2018, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- Mike Potts (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- Steven Radicevic (hired in 2012, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Cleveland Browns
- Glenn Cook (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2022)
- Catherine Hickman (hired in 2022)
Denver Broncos
- Reed Burckhardt (hired in 2022, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Detroit Lions
- Ray Agnew (hired in 2021)
Houston Texans
- Chris Blanco (rehired in 2023, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- James Liipfert (hired in 2018, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Indianapolis Colts
- Ed Dodds (hired in 2017, promoted to AGM in 2018)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Mike Bradway (hired in 2018, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- Chris Shea (hired in 2017, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Brian Stark (hired in 2025)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Chad Alexander (hired in 2024)
Los Angeles Rams
- John McKay (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Miami Dolphins
- Kyle Smith (hired in 2026)
Minnesota Vikings
- Andrew Healy (hired in 2026)
- Trent Kirchner (hired in 2026)
New Orleans Saints
- Khai Harley (hired in 2008, promoted to AGM in 2023)
- Jeff Ireland (hired in 2015)
New York Giants
- Brandon Brown (hired in 2022)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Adam Berry (hired in 2023, promoted to AGM in 2026)
- Jon Ferrari (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2022)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Andy Weidl (hired in 2022)
San Francisco 49ers
- R.J. Gillen (hired in 2015, promoted to AGM in 2025)
- Brian Hampton (hired in 2003, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Seattle Seahawks
- Matt Berry (hired in 2008, promoted to AGM in 2026)
- Willie Schneider (hired in 2017, promoted to AGM in 2026)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Mike Greenberg (hired in 2010, promoted to AGM in 2023)
- Rob McCartney (hired in 2011, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Tennessee Titans
- Dave Ziegler (hired in 2025)
Washington Commanders
- Lance Newmark (hired in 2024)
The Cowboys, Jaguars, Jets, Packers, Panthers, Patriots and Ravens do not have a staffer in this position. Some front offices opt against handing out the title. The Patriots and Cowboys have refrained from doing so for many years. Jerry Jones has served as the team’s GM since his 1989 purchase; he does not plan to step down from his front office perch anytime soon. Son Stephen Jones operates as the team’s COO. VP of player personnel Will McClay has drawn outside GM interest in the past, but the longtime Dallas staffer has preferred to stay put.
Carolina promoted Dan Morgan from assistant GM to the top front office post in 2024. Former Chiefs exec Brandt Tilis serves as the Panthers’ de facto AGM, residing as the team’s executive VP of football operations. Tilis interviewed for the Falcons’ top front office post — which went to Matt Ryan — this offseason. Now that the Dolphins hired former Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM, cap specialist Russ Ball is probably Green Bay’s most prominent exec working under longtime GM Brian Gutekunst.
The Patriots hired former Titans interim GM Ryan Cowden to work with Mike Vrabel; the longtime Tennessee staffer is New England’s VP of player personnel. Eliot Wolf does not officially hold a GM title (residing as executive VP of player personnel instead) — is in Year 3 running the Pats’ front office.
Second-year GMs James Gladstone and Darren Mougey have not handed out the AGM title, either. Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli sits in a key Jacksonville role, as executive VP of football ops, while former Broncos GM Brian Xanders is a senior advisor to the GM. Former Vikings GM Rick Spielman helped the Jets land on Mougey as GM, and the veteran NFL staffer remains on New York’s staff (as a senior football advisor).
While a host of staffers on the assistant GM level have been part of recent GM carousels, only two current AGMs — Ireland and Ziegler — previously led a front office. Illustrating the fluidity of AGM roles, only Dodds and Ireland have been in their current positions prior to the 2020s.
