When the Vikings hired Nolan Teasley late last month, the final manager carousel got here to a stop once more. 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 highest 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, lots of whom have interviewed for GM jobs already. Others will achieve this in the longer term. Listed here are the teams which have assigned the assistant general manager title to 1 or more staffers:
Arizona Cardinals
Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills
Chicago Bears
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Rams
- John McKay (hired in 2016, promoted to AGM in 2025)
Miami Dolphins
Minnesota Vikings
Latest Orleans Saints
Latest York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
The Cowboys, Jaguars, Jets, Packers, Panthers, Patriots and Ravens do not need a staffer on this position. Some front offices opt against handing out the title. The Patriots and Cowboys have avoided doing so for a few years. Jerry Jones has served because the team’s GM since his 1989 purchase; he doesn’t plan to step down from his front office perch anytime soon. Son Stephen Jones operates because the team’s COO. VP of player personnel Will McClay has drawn outside GM interest prior to now, however the longtime Dallas staffer has preferred to remain put.
Carolina promoted Dan Morgan from assistant GM to the highest front office post in 2024. Former Chiefs exec Brandt Tilis serves because the Panthers’ de facto AGM, residing because 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 might be Green Bay’s most distinguished 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 Latest England’s VP of player personnel. Eliot Wolf doesn’t officially hold a GM title (residing as executive VP of player personnel as an alternative) — is in Yr 3 running the Pats’ front office.
Second-year GMs James Gladstone and Darren Mougey haven’t 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 stays on Latest York’s staff (as a senior football advisor).
While a number of staffers on the assistant GM level have been a 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 of their current positions prior to the 2020s.