Report: Carolina Panthers Request Interview With KC Chiefs Exec Brandt Tilis

For the second time on Monday, an opposing team is reportedly inquiring about interviewing a Chiefs front office executive for a GM job.

Earlier on Monday, a report surfaced that the Washington Commanders requested permission to interview Mike Borgonzi for their open general manager job. Just hours later, another team is putting in a request to interview a different Kansas City Chiefs front office executive. 

Per a Monday afternoon report from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the Carolina Panthers are inquiring about speaking with Brandt Tilis for their general manager position. 

The #Panthers requested an interview with #Chiefs VP of football operations Brandt Tilis for their GM job, per source.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 8, 2024

The #Panthers requested an interview with #Chiefs VP of football operations Brandt Tilis for their GM job, per source. 

For Tilis, this would be his second interview with Carolina. He talked with them back in 2021, although he ultimately wasn't selected for the open job. The Panthers, already having fired now-former head coach Frank Reich earlier in the season, fired general manager Scott Fitterer on Monday. The organization is wasting no time in its search under owner David Tepper, with Tilis emerging once again as a candidate for their opening. Carolina has also requested to interview Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant general manager Mike Greenberg, New York Giants assistant general manager Brandon Brown and Philadelphia Eagles assistant general manager Alec Halaby for the same job. 

Tilis, now in his 14th season with the Chiefs, is wrapping up year No. 3 as the organization's vice president of football operations. Before this post, he served in a variety of roles such as the director of football administration, director of salary cap & football operations analytics and even a general salary cap/contract analyst. Per the team, Tilis is "charged with ensuring the club complies with the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and other League policies" in addition to his other job duties under general manager Brett Veach.

One of the contracts Tilis gets recognized for is the original mega-deal the team inked quarterback Patrick Mahomes to back in 2020. In August of that year, Conner Christopherson of Arrowhead Report wrote about the job Tilis did alongside Veach and company handling multiple high-level deals in the same offseason. The Chiefs describe Tilis as their "lead player contract negotiator" dating back to 2017.

Borgonzi may be a more popular name regarding general manager vacancies, but don't forget about Tilis. The fact that the Panthers are doubling back to him could indicate a significant level of interest. Such losses are impactful for an organization, but Kansas City would undoubtedly be happy for Tilis in the event he conducts another interview and ends up in Carolina. 

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