NASHVILLE, Tenn. >> The Tennessee Titans hired general manager Ran Carthon to work with a veteran head coach fired last January. On Tuesday, Carthon paid the price for a 9-25 record over two seasons.

Now the Titans face a pivotal offseason after three straight losing seasons cost two general managers and a coach their jobs. They hold the No. 1 pick overall in the NFL draft on April 24 while building a $2.2 billion enclosed stadium due to open for the 2027 season.

Controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk made clear her disappointment over the win-loss record. Her franchise posted six straight winning seasons between 2016 and 2021, posting a 59-38 record that tied for eighth in the NFL with a .608 winning percentage. During that span, the Titans won two AFC South titles, went to the AFC title game in January 2020 and earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed in 2021.

Since then, the Titans are 16-35 — tied with Arizona for the third-worst winning percentage at .314.

Staying the course wasn’t a long-term option for Strunk.

“To our fans: we know this level of performance isn’t acceptable,” Strunk said in her statement.

She fired general manager Jon Robinson in December 2022. The new GM will help decide what the Titans do with their fourth overall No. 1 pick since the NFL-AFL merger. Chad Brinker, president of football operations, will lead the GM search and also have full roster control — breaking any ties in decisions.

The 49ers fire defensive coordinator Sorensen>> The San Francisco 49ers fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen after just one disappointing season, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press.

The Niners are making significant changes to their coaching staff after going 6-11 this season and missing playoffs. Special teams coordinator Brian Schneider also was fired on Tuesday, the person said.

This is the third straight offseason that San Francisco will change defensive coordinators, starting when DeMeco Ryans left following the 2022 season to take over as head coach for Houston.

Steve Wilks was hired last season and helped San Francisco reach the Super Bowl but was fired anyway, with coach Kyle Shanahan saying his scheme wasn’t a good fit.

Ezekiel Elliott on the field for the Chargers>> Ezekiel Elliott was on the practice field for the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday, after the veteran running back was signed to the practice squad.

Elliott was released by the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 31 so that he could possibly sign with a playoff team seeking an experienced running back.

The Chargers (11-6) are the No. 5 seed in the AFC and open the playoffs at Houston on Saturday in a wild-card round game.

Coach Jim Harbaugh said he still has some “bruises” from Elliott when trying to come up with ways to stop him. It didn’t work in 2015 when Harbaugh was in his first season at Michigan as Elliott ran for 214 yards and two touchdowns in Ohio State’s 42-13 victory.