Former Titans GM Floyd Reese Passes Away

He put together the lineup that played in Super Bowl XXXIV and made four playoff appearances in five years beginning in 1995.

George Walker IV / The Tennessean

NASHVILLE – Floyd Reese, the man who put together the Tennessee Titans’ only Super Bowl team, died Saturday morning.

The team announced his passing after being informed by Reese’s family. The cause of death was not made public.

He was 73 years old.

In recent years, Reese served as a sports talk radio host in town, but last December he retired suddenly to address an undisclosed health issue.

“This is a sad day for our Titans family,” controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a release. “I would like to send along my deepest condolences to Floyd’s wife, Sally, to his children, grandchildren and extended family. Floyd spent over two decades with our franchise in a variety of roles – position coach, assistant general manager and ultimately, general manager – and he excelled at all of them.

“As general manager, he built a team that saw sustained success and helped guide our franchise in the toughest of times and the highest moments. His keen eye for talent led him to some of the best players in our team’s history, which led the team to some of our greatest accomplishments. We look forward to remembering and honoring his legacy this season as he is formally inducted into our Ring of Honor.”

Reese became general manager of the franchise in 1994, when the team was still known as the Houston Oilers. He stayed in that role until 2006, and his teams won 106 games in the regular season and five more in the playoffs, including a 33-14 victory over Jacksonville in the AFC Championship that earned the Titans a place in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Under Reese’s direction, the team made four playoff appearances in five years (1999-03). Among the most notable draft picks of his tenure were quarterback Steve McNair (third overall, 1995), running back Eddie George (14th overall, 1996), defensive end Jevon Kearse (16th overall, 1999), linebacker Keith Bulluck (30th overall, 2000), defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth (15th overall, 2002) and wide receiver Derrick Mason (fourth round, 1997).

The team announced earlier this year that Reese will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during the 2021 season.

Before he became the team’s top personnel executive, he was an assistant coach in college and professional football from 1971-89. The last four years he was linebackers coach for the Oilers. He joined the front office as assistant general manager in 1990.

As a player, he was a three-year starter at UCLA and spent one year in the Canadian Football League before he got into coaching.

“I’m saddened to hear about the passing of Floyd Reese and my heartfelt condolences go out to Ms. Sally, the family, and all that were close to him,” current Titans general manager Jon Robinson said. “He was a great man. He loved his family, he loved football, and he loved the Titans. I learned a lot from him, he was always willing to listen, and he wanted to pass on his knowledge of the game to me and so many others.

“I’m forever grateful that I could call him a friend.”